Republican Louisiana Sen. John Kennedy is leaving the door open to a potential White House bid in 2028, according to comments he made during a recent appearance in New Hampshire.
Kennedy told attendees at an event hosted by the New Hampshire Institute of Politics at Saint Anselm College that he plans to seek reelection to the Senate in 2028 but acknowledged that donors have encouraged him to consider a presidential campaign, according to the Louisiana Radio Network. Kennedy said he is not ruling out the possibility of running for the Republican nomination.
🚨Report: Louisiana Republican Senator John N. Kennedy has expressed interest in running for President in 2028
Kennedy said he is planning to run for reelection in 2028 but has said donors had approached him to run for President in 2028 and that he is not ruling out the idea pic.twitter.com/Kp30xcDtES
— The Calvin Coolidge Project (@TheCalvinCooli1) June 14, 2026
The comments have fueled speculation that the Louisiana Republican could join what is expected to be a crowded field of GOP contenders seeking to succeed President Donald Trump at the end of his second term, including Vice President JD Vance. (RELATED: Sen John Kennedy Says Only ‘God’s Perfect Idiot’ Would Have Thought Bill Cassidy Could Survive Louisiana Primary)
LSU political science professor Robert Hogan spoke with WWL Radio about Kennedy’s chances of winning. He explained that since Kennedy is both aligned with Trump ideals and willing to adjust based on what Americans want, he has a good chance of strongly appealing to voters.
“He has certainly changed parties and changed his opinions to move in a direction that fits the moment, and someone like that, you can’t count them out in a race that’s going to be as open as the 2028 presidential race,” Hogan told WWL Radio. Kennedy switched from Democratic Party affiliation to the Republican Party in 2007.
Kennedy has built a national following through his colorful one-liners, blunt style, and frequent appearances on cable news. Political analyst Ron Faucheux explained to the Louisiana Radio Network that Kennedy has “a way of expressing his views that sounds nonpolitical and very blunt and very funny to a lot of people.”
When asked by the Daily Caller about campaigning in 2028, Kennedy said, “I’m running for the United States Senate. Okay, okay, yep, I’m running for the border. I mean, I don’t know, I mean, that’s a long time away … I mean, you want to know what I want to do two years from now. God only knows. I may catch a wild hare and do something that surprises both us.”
🚨 Sen. John Kennedy leaves the door open to a future White House run: ‘I may catch a wild hare and do something that surprises both of us.’ https://t.co/NBkFSws1gQ pic.twitter.com/e2dWWEwC5C
— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) June 16, 2026
Kennedy, who was first elected to the Senate in 2016 and won reelection in 2022, has become one of the Republican Party’s most recognizable lawmakers. His folksy speaking style and sharp critiques of Democrats have frequently gone viral on social media and conservative news programs.
“Ultimately, whether you’re a Democrat or a Republican, it’s not just the voters of your party that elect you, it’s the independent voters that elect you,” Faucheux said to WWL Radio. “Kennedy, I think, would be in a position to attract some support nationally.”