距离2026年中期选举还有一年，主要的民主党候选人一直在巡回演出，称他们正在帮助该党为争夺美国众议院奠定基础。
他们也可能准备竞选总统。
美国广播公司新闻(ABC News)跟踪了民主党总统候选人在2025年关键选举中的至少24次竞选活动，民主党人横扫了新泽西州和弗吉尼亚州的州长竞选，纽约市的市长选举和加利福尼亚州的重划选票提案选举。
另外，美国广播公司新闻(ABC News)已经跟踪了民主党总统候选人在2025年和2026年至少43次访问或计划访问关键的早期或关键的总统选举州。这些州中的一些预计也将成为2026年众议院的关键战场。
如果该州是他们的家乡州，早期和战场州计数不包括，并且不计算同一候选人的多次访问。
“任何关注2028年周期的人都开始上路了……把重点放在可能决定众议院控制权的州是你最好的选择，可能应该是你从现在到中期的唯一焦点，”曾为巴拉克·奥巴马、希拉里·克林顿和朱利安·卡斯特罗参加总统竞选的资深民主党策略师索耶·哈克特告诉美国广播公司新闻。
2025年选举州:新泽西州、弗吉尼亚州、加利福尼亚州、纽约市
在新泽西州，民主党候选人和众议员。米基·谢里尔在竞选中获得了一群总统候选人的支持，包括前交通部长皮特·布蒂吉格、前芝加哥市长拉姆·伊曼纽尔、亚利桑那州参议员鲁本·加莱戈、亚利桑那州参议员马克·凯利、加利福尼亚州众议员罗·卡纳、明尼苏达州参议员艾米·克洛布查尔、马里兰州州长韦斯·摩尔、宾夕法尼亚州州长乔希·夏皮罗、新泽西州参议员科里·布克和密歇根州州长格雷琴·惠特默。
在弗吉尼亚州，民主党候选人和前美国众议员阿比盖尔·斯潘伯格得到了贝希尔、巴蒂吉格、伊曼纽尔、加莱戈、凯利、卡纳、摩尔、夏皮罗和惠特莫的支持。
加利福尼亚州州长加文·纽瑟姆、前副总统卡玛拉·哈里斯和克洛布查尔分别在加利福尼亚州为“50号提案”游说，而卡纳和纽约州众议员亚历山大·奥卡西奥-科尔特斯则在纽约市为民主党市长候选人佐兰·马姆达尼游说。
关键的早期州:爱荷华州、新罕布什尔州、南卡罗来纳州
一些总统候选人已经涌向提前进行提名竞争的州。民主党目前正在重新评估其日历，以确定这些早期比赛将在何时举行，但哈克特说，希望参加竞选的民主党人仍在覆盖他们的基础。
爱荷华州通常自诩为全国第一个党团会议，明年将主办一场备受关注的参议院竞选。该州也有一些竞争激烈的众议院席位。
爱荷华州接待了前明尼苏达州州长。蒂姆·瓦尔兹在三月和Buttigieg五月的市政厅，而加莱戈8月和8月访问了伊曼纽尔九月份来过。凯利马里兰州参议员克里斯·范·霍伦(Chris Van Hollen)对爱荷华州民主党人发表了讲话九月.
新罕布什尔州举行了全国首次总统初选，并将在2026年举行一场有争议的美国参议院竞选，争夺参议员珍妮·沙欣(Jeanne Shaheen)空出的席位，该州已经接待了几位议员。肯塔基州州长。安迪·贝希尔本月初访问过;加莱戈和卡纳8月份顺道拜访;克洛布查尔7月和新泽西参议员。科里·布克将于11月访问。
当伊利诺伊州州长。JB普利茨克在四月访问时，他为他的政党描绘了一幅可怕的画面。
普利兹克说:“民主党人，太长时间以来，我们一直因听信一群无所事事的政治人物而感到内疚，他们告诉你，美国的房子没有着火，即使火焰正在舔他们的脸。”
与此同时，南卡罗来纳州也提前举行了总统初选。今年，它吸引了来自贝希尔,卡纳和纽瑟姆7月，世卫组织告诉农村居民“我们正在经历的是美国的倒退。”
凯利马里兰州州长韦斯·摩尔和沃尔兹5月下旬访问对于南卡罗来纳州众议员吉姆·克莱伯恩的“炸鱼”活动来说，这通常是潜在的宾夕法尼亚大道候选人的沃土。
沃尔兹和摩尔此前都告诉美国广播公司新闻，他们没有“竞选”总统，也没有计划竞选。
战场州:亚利桑那州、乔治亚州、密歇根州、内华达州、北卡罗来纳州、宾夕法尼亚州和威斯康星州
几名2028年的总统候选人也在七个战场州周围取得了进展，这些州被认为是任何一方都可以获胜的，对竞选活动如何配置资源具有巨大的影响。
一些潜在的候选人已经或计划访问亚利桑那州，包括奥卡西奥-科尔特斯，他在3月份作为独立参议员伯尼·桑德斯的战斗寡头之旅的一部分访问了亚利桑那州。惠特默3月访问，而办事员4月和4月访问了Buttigieg10月份去过。哈里斯她最近表示，她“可能”再次竞选总统，将于2026年4月在那里发表演讲。
亚利桑那州目前有两个国会席位被共和党人占据，被认为具有竞争力，根据库克政治报告.
佐治亚州经常是势均力敌的总统竞选和关键的选票竞争的场所。Khanna在1999年访问了八月，而哈里斯做了一个停在那里在她十月份的巡回售书会上。
再往北，穆尔和卡纳我今年访问了密歇根州的战场，唐纳德·特朗普总统和民主党参议员候选人埃利萨·斯洛特金在2024年赢得了胜利。
威斯康星州在2024年的战场州中，特朗普和哈里斯之间的差距最大，来自克洛布查尔三月，卡纳5月，瓦尔兹在三月和九月和惠特默十月。
内华达州也经常出现在总统初选日历的早期，今年有来自奥卡西奥-科尔特斯三月，普利茨克和卡纳八月，还有加莱戈和凯利九月。
北卡罗来纳州见证了来自普利茨克在七月和Buttigieg九月。哈里斯访问为她十月份在那里的巡回售书，而同为加州人卡纳会在11月份过来。
宾夕法尼亚州也是一个关键的战场州。穆尔5月，在葛底斯堡的林肯大学发表毕业典礼演讲加莱戈和卡纳去拜访他们自己。值得注意的是，宾夕法尼亚州的两名共和党众议员斯科特·佩里(Scott Perry)和瑞安·麦肯齐(Ryan Mackenzie)预计将面临激烈的竞争，以保住他们的席位。
卡纳最近表示，该党的重点是赢回众议院的控制权，共和党在众议院占多数。
“我们已经有了一些2028年的优秀候选人，但现在的重点是从政治优先角度夺回众议院，”卡纳说告诉公共媒体组织为什么.
2028 presidential hopefuls flock to key battleground states: Where have they traveled?
One year out from the 2026 midterms, major Democratic Party names have been taking the show on the road, saying that they’re helping the party lay the groundwork to battle for the U.S. House.
They also might be preparing to run for president.
ABC News has tracked at least 24 visits by Democratic presidential hopefuls to the campaign trail in the key 2025 elections that Democrats swept -- New Jersey and Virginia’s gubernatorial races, New York City’s mayoral election, and California’s redistricting ballot proposition election.
Separately, ABC News has tracked at least 43 visits or planned visits so far in 2025 and 2026 by Democratic presidential hopefuls to key early or battleground presidential election states. Some of those states are also expected to be key House battlegrounds in 2026.
The early and battleground state count excludes if the state is their home state and does not count multiple visits by the same candidate.
"Anybody who's looking at the 2028 cycle is starting to head out on the road … Putting an emphasis on states that could determine control of the House is your best bet, and probably should be your only focus between now and the midterms,” Sawyer Hackett, a veteran Democratic strategist who worked on presidential campaigns for Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton and Julian Castro, told ABC News.
2025 election states: New Jersey, Virginia, California, New York City
In New Jersey, Democratic candidate and U.S. Rep.Mikie Sherrillreceived support on the trail from a crowd of presidential hopefuls, including former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, Arizona Sen. Ruben Gallego, Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly, California Rep. Ro Khanna, Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker and Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.
And in Virginia, Democratic candidate and former U.S. Rep.Abigail Spanbergerhad the support of Beshear, Buttigieg, Emanuel, Gallego, Kelly, Khanna, Moore, Shapiro, and Whitmer.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom, former Vice President Kamala Harris, and Klobuchar separately stumped for "Proposition 50" in California, while Khanna and New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez stumped for Democratic mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani in New York City.
Key early states: Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina
Some of the presidential hopefuls have flocked to states with early nominating contests. The Democratic Party is currently reevaluating its calendar for when those early contests will occur, but Hackett said Democrats hoping to run are still covering their bases.
Iowa, which usually boasts first-in-the-nation caucuses, will host a closely watched Senate race next year. The state also has some competitive House seats.
Iowa hosted former Minnesota Gov.Tim Walzin March andButtigiegfor a town hall in May, whileGallegovisited in August andEmanuelcame by in September.Kellyis set to visit in November, while Maryland Sen. Chris Van Hollen spoke to Iowa Democratsin September.
New Hampshire, which holds the nation’s first presidential primaries and will hold a contested U.S. Senate race in 2026 for the seat being vacated by Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, has hosted several lawmakers. Kentucky Gov.Andy Beshearvisited earlier this month;GallegoandKhannastopped by in August;Klobucharwas there in July and New Jersey Sen.Cory Bookerwill visit in November.
When Illinois Gov.JB Pritzkervisited in April, he painted a dire picture for his party.
"Fellow Democrats, for far too long, we've been guilty of listening to a bunch of do-nothing political types who would tell you that America's house is not on fire, even as the flames were licking their faces," Pritzker said.
South Carolina, meanwhile, also has an early presidential primary. This year, it saw visits fromBeshear,KhannaandNewsomin July -- who told rural residents "what we're experiencing is America in reverse."
Kellyvisited in September, while Maryland Gov. Wes Moore and Walzvisited in late Mayfor South Carolina Rep. Jim Clyburn's "Fish Fry" event, which has often been fertile waters for would-be Pennsylvania Avenue hopefuls.
Both Walz and Moore have told ABC News previously they are not "running" for president or have no plans to run.
Battleground states: Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin
Several 2028 presidential hopefuls have also made their way around the seven battleground states, which have been considered winnable by either party and have an outsized influence on where campaigns place their resources.
A few potential candidates have or plan to pay visits to Arizona, including Ocasio-Cortez, who visited in March as part of the Fighting Oligarchy tour run by independent Sen. Bernie Sanders. Whitmervisited in March, whileBookervisited in April andButtigiegvisited in October.Harris, who recently said she’ll "possibly" run for president again, will be speaking there in April 2026.
Arizona has two congressional seats currently held by Republicans viewed as competitive,according to the Cook Political Report.
Georgia is often the site of both a close presidential race and critical down-ballot races. Khanna visited inAugust, while Harris made astop thereon her book tour in October.
Further north,MooreandKhannahave paid visits this year to the battleground state of Michigan, where both President Donald Trump and Democratic Senate candidate Elissa Slotkin won in 2024.
Wisconsin, which had the closest margin between Trump and Harris in 2024 of the battleground states, saw visits fromKlobucharin March,Khannain May, Walz inMarchandSeptemberandWhitmerin October.
Nevada, which also often figures early in the presidential primary calendar, saw visits this year fromOcasio-Cortezin March,PritzkerandKhannain August, andGallegoandKellyin September.
North Carolina saw visits fromPritzkerin July andButtigiegin September. Harrisvisitedfor her book tour there in October, while fellow CalifornianKhannawill drop by in November.
Pennsylvania is also a key battleground state.Mooredelivered a commencement address at Lincoln University in Gettysburg in May, the same monthGallegoandKhannapaid their own visits. Notably, two Republicans in Pennsylvania, Reps. Scott Perry and Ryan Mackenzie, are expecting to face fierce fights to hold onto their seats.
Khanna recently said the party's focus is to win back control of the House, which has a Republican majority.
"We have already a number of great candidates for 2028 that’ll emerge, but right now the focus has to be to take back the House in terms of political priority," Khannatold public media organization WHYY.
