Overview
- Maher told ABC’s This Week on Sunday that his 2028 presidential vote is “in play” and answered “yes” when asked if he could see himself voting for Vice President J.D. Vance if the Democratic nominee is aligned with the party’s progressive wing.
- He called Democrats “cowardly,” said the party is being taken over by increasingly radical figures, and pointed to DSA platform language and candidates who have advocated abolishing police or prisons as reasons for his alarm.
- Maher referenced a June 26 interview with Vance on his HBO show as background for his openness to voting across party lines while also pressing Vance on election denialism during that earlier exchange.
- He said he expects Democrats to do well in the 2026 midterms as a referendum on President Trump but warned that a different 2028 landscape could follow if the progressive surge grows.
- Coverage has focused on Maher’s rhetorical protest rather than any formal party switch, and the remarks may signal broader centrist voter volatility that could shape candidate strategy and party messaging ahead of 2028.