
<p>In a time-honored tradition Democrats eyeing the White House in 2028 are losing weight and getting complete makeovers.</p>



<p>According to the pundits these “upgrades and makeovers” by former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, Michigan Sen. Elissa Slotkin and others are a sure sign that the pre-primary has begun.</p>



<p>Presidential candidates have carefully curated their physical appearances since the early days of TV, and social media has meant they need to be more camera-ready than ever. Chris Christie got lap band surgery before his 2016 presidential campaign. Jeb Bush lost so much weight on the Paleo diet in that cycle that he had to buy a new wardrobe — and it sparked concerns about his health. Hillary Clinton spent tens of thousands of dollars to enhance her clothing in that campaign.</p>



<p>The challenge for candidates is to look their best, but also down-to-earth. &#8220;You&#8217;re not running for the cover of GQ, you&#8217;re running for a political office,&#8221; said Derek Guy, the editor of &#8220;Put This On&#8221; and a popular writer on men&#8217;s fashion.</p>



<p>Here is snapshot of the latest Democratic candidate makeovers.</p>



<p><strong>1.</strong> ;<strong>Getting in shape</strong></p>



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<li>Even President Trump has noticed: Pritzker has lost weight this year. The Illinois governor opened up about his fitness journey with an NBC station in Chicago. &#8220;I have kids I want to be around for,&#8221; Pritzker said, noting that he now walks about five miles each morning.</li>



<li>Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, who embarked on a national tour this year after his 2024 loss with Vice President Harris, has slimmed down. He stepped up his running routine, an aide told us, and trained for a 10-mile race with his daughter this summer.</li>
</ul>



<p><strong>2. Improving their style</strong></p>



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<li>Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, another potential 2028 candidate, actually began his makeover around 2022, when he was first elected governor. Before then, many of his outfits were dated, Guy said. &#8220;It looks like clothes that you bought in the &#8217;90s and just held on to them,&#8221; he told Axios while looking at Shapiro&#8217;s official portrait from several years ago. &#8220;A charcoal pinstripe suit is very, very formal looking. It&#8217;s historically considered a business fabric, especially for bankers.&#8221; Now, Shapiro&#8217;s suits are more tailored and modern, but not flashy. He sometimes ditches a tie and swapped out his old glasses for a trendier, rectangular pair, and often wears sneakers.</li>
</ul>



<p>Guy did approve of one potential 2028 candidate&#8217;s fashion: California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a frontrunner in early Democratic polls. &#8220;I think he dresses pretty well,&#8221; said Guy, who was particularly complimentary of Newsom&#8217;s ties. &#8220;He gets the knot right. He does a very small forehand knot, and he ties it with a dimple. And he buys very high-end ties.&#8221; But Guy said Newsom might be ;<em>too</em> ;stylish for some voters.</p>



<p>Despite the potential pitfalls, there&#8217;s a reason presidential candidates carefully shape their appearance as they gear up for campaigns. At a time when candidates have to navigate a hyper-fragmented media environment — going from shooting a direct-to-camera video for social media one minute to sitting for an hour-long podcast interview the next — Democratic strategists say there&#8217;s more pressure than ever to perfect a candidate&#8217;s image.</p>



<p>However, the also warn that voters value authenticity, and over-managing a candidate&#8217;s appearance carries risks.</p>

Democrats “Shaping Up” for 2028 Presidential Run
