Progressives Demand Support for Wealth Tax for 2028 Presidential Candidates
30th March 2026
Prominent Democrats such as Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, Sen. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland, and Rep. Ro Khanna of California have embraced initiatives to increase taxes on the wealthiest Americans, Axios reported.
But moderates in the Democratic Party have argued such taxes are anti-business, legally unfeasible, and too often pitched as addressing wealth inequality rather than using the revenue to expand benefits.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom has repeatedly pushed back on wealth tax proposals in his state.
Progressives, including Khanna, have called on Newsom to support legislation for a one-time tax on Californians who earn more than $1 billion. Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., a possible 2028 rival to Newsom, was in Los Angeles on Saturday to express support for the tax.