Four potential 2028 presidential candidates visited Las Vegas Thursday for The Nevada Independent’s annual IndyFest convention. In a sequence of dwell interviews, they outlined what units them aside from the competitors and shared typically blunt views on a selection of topics such as whether to use the phrase “genocide” to describe Israel’s actions in Gaza, the need to regulate artificial intelligence and the coverage views of California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D).
The conversations moderated by The Nevada Independent CEO Jon Ralston and D.C. Correspondent Mini Racker precede a presidential election in which swingy Nevada will play a important function in selecting both the Democratic nominee and the eventual president. The state will be the second to host a 2028 Democratic presidential main.
“I’m not going to be the most charismatic guy — I’m not going to be the person doing the most fun TikToks,” said Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA), ” if this country, after a showboat and showman, wants substance, if they actually want a substantive plan for how to have economic security and success across America, then I would submit that if I run, then I should be considered.”
Khanna has been to Nevada more than any other potential presidential candidate. He and the three other Democrats who joined IndyFest — Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear (D) and former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel (D) — said they were mulling bids but stopped short of making any bulletins.
“I haven’t made a decision,” said Kelly.
“I don’t have an announcement today,” said Beshear.
Emanuel was more candid about his ambitions, saying he did not care that he’s polling close to zero in present surveys of the Democratic area. “The last place I would want to be, two years out, is a frontrunner. … You name me the last frontrunner that has ever won the nomination, ever.”
Who’s working in 2028? Everybody and nobody
Beshear said a Democratic governor should be the celebration’s nominee, saying governors need to show they’re efficient leaders who can win votes from all kinds of people.
He said after profitable his 2023 Kentucky gubernatorial re-election, he never thought he’d run again. Now he’s reconsidering that place, after witnessing what he described as disastrous and merciless actions under President Donald Trump (R).
Khanna said he was weighing a presidential bid because he believes he understands the future economic system, particularly AI and technology, and has a imaginative and prescient for how to make it work higher for the people.
He described himself as a New Deal Democrat who wished to maintain rich firms accountable, saying he’s not anti-capitalism but believes the U.S. financial system wants a chief prepared to make billionaires pay their truthful share.
Khanna said he desires to tax billionaires to help pay for free childcare, free faculty and Medicare for All — topics that the other potential candidates did not immediately reply.
Kelly echoed that his precedence is the midterm elections and he’s still deciding whether to run.
“I would have to be convinced I’m the right option for the country at that time,” he said. “I don’t have a typical background of somebody who would be in this job as a United States senator.”
Emanuel said he would be a good match for the presidency because of his monitor report of taking on “the failed status quo,” citing his work as Chicago mayor to increase high faculty commencement charges. He said he’d be most centered on combating corruption as president, including banning politicians from trading on the stock market or in prediction markets.
Asked about other potential 2028 Democratic nominees, Emanuel said he would support whoever becomes the celebration’s choose.
“That’s called a dodge in the answer book,” he joked.
Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) speaks during the first day of IndyFest 2026 at Fontainebleau Resort and Casino in Las Vegas on October 22, 2026. (Daniel Clark/The Nevada Independent)
Democrats in disarray?
Democratic divisions came up typically Thursday at IndyFest.
Beshear, who chairs the Democratic Governors Association (DGA), defended the group’s investment selections following criticisms from Latino leaders and other Democrats who said that the group should give more than the $1 million it’s pledged to Texas state Rep. Gina Hinojosa (D), the celebration’s gubernatorial nominee in the Lone Star State.
Beshear said the DGA is competing in too many races this cycle, describing it as a good downside to have, but it has restricted sources.
“We have the best-looking map that we have had in our recent history, and what it means is we have a size 10 budget and a size 16 map,” he said, including that the DGA first and foremost has to defend its incumbents.
The group came in late to the Nevada governor’s race but is now investing considerably through an affiliated PAC.
Khanna, meanwhile, came out swinging against more reasonable Democrats.
“I’m not a Chuck Schumer Democrat,” he said, although he declined to criticize House Speaker Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY). But he did criticize his own state’s governor, Newsom, for opposing a poll measure that would impose a “wealth tax” on billionaires’ web value.
“Gavin Newsom should stop shilling for his billionaire donors,” said Khanna.
Emanuel defended his view that the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) is a separate political group from the Democratic Party, noting that the national DSA held its own celebration conference in Chicago.
He added that he believes younger males and ladies are not, as a complete, socialists, but they are “massively” offended at a system that has lengthened retirement timelines, made it tougher to buy a home and raised training prices.
“You are a separate party, and your positions on defunding the police, open borders, open prisons, and letting prisoners out is not Democratic Party positions,” he said. “Now if you’re confident that people want that, I’ll see you in November.”
Israel and genocide
The Indy requested candidates about their views on Israel’s actions in Gaza, which are more and more a cause of division within the Democratic Party as Israel grows more unpopular among the Democratic voters.
Khanna has long been important of Israel’s actions in Gaza and the West Bank and was one of the earliest Democrats to refuse to settle for money from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee. Pressed by the moderators over use of the time period, Khanna cited a United Nations commission’s discovering that Israel has dedicated genocide but said he believed affordable people could disagree with his view.
Beshear was more cautious, declining to call the state of affairs a genocide but saying Israel was accountable for pointless struggling in Gaza.
“We can be critical, and even very critical of the Netanyahu regime,” he said, “but if we are anti-Israel in the long run, we will lose a critical ally that is trying to exist as a democratic state and as an Israeli state.”
Kelly said the method that Israel performed the marketing campaign against Hamas was “reckless,” including that it should have higher focused its army operations, even if it meant a longer conflict.
“My hope is we have a reckoning here next Tuesday at the ballot box on Israel,” he said.
Pressed on whether he thought it was a genocide, he said, “I think it was a colossal failure in leadership and a disregard for civilian life and collateral damage and civilian casualties in a way that I’ve never seen before.”
Israel did not come up during The Indy’s dialog with Emanuel, who is a supporter of the U.S.-Israel relationship. But Emanuel lately gave a speech in Tel Aviv where he criticized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and said Israel must reaffirm its dedication to the peace course of and the U.S. wants to place stricter circumstances on assist to Israel.
Kentucky Gov. Andrew Beshear (D) speaks during the first day of IndyFest 2026 at Fontainebleau Resort and Casino in Las Vegas on October 22, 2026. (Daniel Clark/The Nevada Independent)
Oversight of artificial intelligence
As artificial intelligence (AI) has gained prominence in politics, candidates said robust federal regulation is needed.
Beshear said AI could remedy genetic illnesses and other circumstances but could also displace jobs and create national security points.
“We absolutely have to have strong federal oversight of AI,” he said, noting that a patchwork of state legal guidelines will not successfully govern it in the long time period.
The governor also mentioned an govt order he carried out that regulated knowledge facilities by requiring them to pay for their own energy and pay more taxes.
Khanna, who represents a Silicon Valley district with many AI tech giants, said it’s important to guarantee wealth is not concentrated in one area.
He added that the nation should ban self-improving AI and create an unbiased company to regulate it.
“I know these tech billionaires. I’ve been in the room with these tech billionaires. You can’t trust tech billionaires to protect our jobs or keep us safe, including, by the way, Mr. Gates,” Khanna said.
Emanuel described AI as “a double-edged sword” and proposed safeguards such as a kill change to immediately shut down harmful actions, an investigative physique, a cross-government and industry group to set up guardrails and a surcharge to fund training.
“Response is more expensive than being proactive, and right now, we’re none of that,” Emanuel said.
While the dialog with Kelly did not get into AI, he has been a chief on AI coverage in the Senate. He launched the Make AI Work for Americans Act in September, which goals to defend staff through the AI transition.
Former U.S. ambassador to Japan and Chicago mayor Rahm Emanuel (D) speaks during the first day of IndyFest 2026 at Fontainebleau Resort and Casino in Las Vegas on October 22, 2026. (Daniel Clark/The Nevada Independent)
Is Medicare for All the reply?
As healthcare prices have risen nationally, consideration has grown on a push to make the federal Medicare health insurance coverage program common.
Medicare serves people aged 65 or older and youthful people with disabilities. State-run Medicaid applications serve low-income households.
Beshear demurred on whether he supports Medicare for All, saying he had issues about potential mass layoffs numbering in the hundreds of thousands and describing himself as a more “practical candidate,” who would focus instead on a push to negotiate decrease drug costs through Medicaid and Medicare.
Khanna said his call for financial renewal requires Medicare for All. He said it would scale back general healthcare prices and give people more freedom in selecting jobs and making other healthcare-related selections.
Kelly did not take a direct stance on Medicare for All, but said he supported “fixing the system and getting more people covered.”
He said that contains choices such as increasing public choices and getting people to buy in earlier, noting that rising spending and poor outcomes are not options. Obamacare might have labored for some people, he said, but when subsidies ended this January, it grew to become unaffordable.
Emanuel wasn’t requested about healthcare Thursday, but he was chief of workers in the Obama administration when the Affordable Care Act handed. During an interview on MSNOW in September, Emanuel said that Medicare for All “just will not happen” and that Democratic leaders who inform voters that it is attainable are setting up unrealistic expectations. Instead of Medicare for All, he said, “I want to build Obamacare up.”
The nation at a turning level
The potential future presidential candidates agreed that the Democratic Party wants to offer new options to voters who really feel disillusioned with the political system, the affordability disaster and what they view as corruption infecting every stage of authorities.
Khanna said that this sense of despair is why the Democratic Socialists of America has grown so quickly in reputation among voters nationwide.
“What they’re saying is, ‘we can’t get a job; we are in debt,'” he said.
Emanuel described both main events as “brain dead” for failing to tackle voters’ issues.
“The country’s broken. Both morally, spiritually, financially and politically,” he said.
If all 4 males run in 2028, they’ll nearly definitely make more stops in Nevada. But they’re drawn to the state for causes beyond the politicking.
“It’s a wonderful state that has a lot of the same issues as other states,” said Beshear. “I also like blackjack.”