Ro Khanna Pitches ‘Economic Patriotism’ As He Weighs 2028 White House Run
WASHINGTON, DC- Congressman Ro Khanna, a California Democrat who has not ruled out a 2028 presidential campaign, has outlined an economic vision centered on workers, reindustrialization and ensuring that artificial intelligence benefits communities beyond Silicon Valley.
Khanna stopped short of announcing a White House bid on August 16, but presented what he called “economic patriotism” as his central vision for the country.
“For me, I’m most focused on a national economic vision for this country,” Khanna told NBC News.
Khanna represents a California Congressional district that includes parts of Silicon Valley, home to some of the world’s largest technology companies and vast concentrations of wealth.
“It’s working for a few billionaires in a few places. But it’s not working for people I grew up with,” he said.
Khanna said the Democratic Party had lost ground by failing to address the concerns of working-class communities and areas hit by industrial decline.
“The Democrats’ path back out of the wilderness is to have a clear national economic message,” he said. “We shafted too many communities that were de-industrialized. We left out the working class.”
Asked why he would be a better progressive leader in 2028 than Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Khanna praised her as “a phenomenal talent” and said the progressive movement would have many voices. Rather than directly contrasting himself with Ocasio-Cortez, he emphasized his economic programme and the need to ensure AI benefits communities beyond wealthy technology centers.
“How are we going to make sure AI is not just working for a few billionaires, but is working for communities that were de-industrialized?” he asked.
Khanna said the central division within the Democratic Party was not simply between progressives and moderates. He said Democrats broadly agreed that the economic system was failing ordinary Americans, although they differed over the solutions.
Khanna reiterated his support for Medicare for All, a tax on billionaires and an end to foreign wars. He called Medicare for All “arguably the most important priority” and said it deserved a vote in the House of Representatives.
“The majority of the House Democrats are going to support it,” he said.
The Congressman also proposed a “data center bill of rights” to prevent companies from building facilities in residential areas or on farmland without approval from local communities.
“We can’t be putting data centers in residential communities. We can’t be putting data centers in farmland,” he said.
Khanna added that the United States needed data centers to compete in artificial intelligence, but their locations and effects on electricity prices required regulation.
The son of Indian immigrants, Khanna has emerged as a prominent progressive voice on technology, economic policy and US foreign affairs. During the interview, he recalled celebrating Thanksgiving in an Indian-American household with “Indian uncles and aunties”.
His discussion of a national economic vision comes as potential Democratic contenders begin positioning themselves for the party’s 2028 presidential nomination. (IANS)
