Kamala Harris Pushes Abolishing Electoral College, Packing Supreme Court in 2028 Preview

Former Vice President Kamala Harris laid out a radical wish list for remaking the U.S. government on Friday, calling for the elimination of the Electoral College, expanding the Supreme Court to 13 justices, and granting statehood to Puerto Rico and Washington, D.C. The comments, delivered at the National Urban League Annual Conference in Tennessee, offer a troubling preview of what a potential 2028 Democratic ticket might pursue.

Harris made the remarks during a town hall segment where she was asked which former presidents she considered the most effective. She notably left out Joe Biden, a move that some analysts called an unforced error. But it was her policy proposals that drew the most attention.

“I know this is going to be controversial coming from me, in particular,” Harris said. “We need to revisit the Electoral College. We need to revisit the point of expanding the court to 13 justices like we have 13 district courts. We need to revisit, if they so want, statehood for Puerto Rico and D.C.”

The proposals echo a broader push within the Democratic Party to fundamentally alter the structure of American democracy. Harris did not campaign on these ideas during the 2024 election cycle, but she has been promoting them in interviews and public appearances since May.

Democrats Align on Court Packing, Electoral College Abolition

Harris is not alone in pushing these changes. Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg has made nearly identical arguments this summer, calling for term limits for Supreme Court justices and an expansion of the court to 13 members.

“At a minimum, term limits so that, for each presidential term, you know how many Supreme Court appointments are going to go with it,” Buttigieg said. “I also think we would be better off with a court that has something like 13 justices that would match the number of districts that we have in the federal system.”

Buttigieg made similar remarks to an Iowa Democratic Party audience just two weeks ago, telling the crowd he wants to abolish the Electoral College and hold Supreme Court justices accountable. The coordination between Harris and Buttigieg suggests a unified strategy among top Democratic figures to push these ideas ahead of the 2028 election.

Iowa Impact: What These Changes Would Mean for the State

For Iowans, the implications are significant. Abolishing the Electoral College would strip Iowa of its outsized influence in presidential elections. As a smaller, predominantly rural state, Iowa currently benefits from the Electoral College system, which ensures candidates must compete in states like Iowa rather than focusing solely on large population centers.

Expanding the Supreme Court to 13 justices would allow a Democratic president to pack the court with liberal appointees, potentially overturning decisions on issues ranging from Second Amendment rights to religious freedom. Statehood for Washington, D.C., would add two reliably Democratic senators, further tilting the balance of power in Washington.

These proposals are part of what critics call a pattern of election rigging conspiracy theories from the left. Harris has accused Republicans of trying to rig elections, even as evidence shows that illegal voting remains a problem. A recent report highlighted 270,000 potentially ineligible voters on the rolls in key states.

2028 Outlook: Democrats Running Out of Ideas?

Political analysts say the push for these structural changes reflects a party that has run out of original ideas for governing. Instead of focusing on policies that improve the lives of Americans, Democrats are turning to radical institutional reforms that would concentrate power in Washington.

The 2026 midterms will be a critical test of whether voters embrace or reject this agenda. Republicans must maintain control of both chambers of Congress to block these proposals and protect the America First agenda championed by President Donald Trump.

For now, Harris and Buttigieg are laying the groundwork for a 2028 campaign built on dismantling the very foundations of the U.S. Constitution. Iowans and Americans nationwide should pay close attention.