Kamala Harris may no longer occupy the vice president’s office, but if a new national survey is any indication, she remains the Democrat to beat when it comes to the party’s early 2028 presidential conversation.
A newly released Center Square Voters’ Voice Poll found Harris holding a commanding lead among Democratic and left-leaning voters, with 27 percent support in a hypothetical presidential primary. That puts her well ahead of her closest competitor, California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who landed in second place at 14 percent.
At first glance, those numbers suggest Harris remains the clear front-runner. Dig a little deeper, however, and a more complicated picture emerges.
While Harris still sits atop the field, her support has been steadily slipping. She stood at 33 percent in October, dipped to 31 percent in March, and now finds herself at 27 percent. Newsom has experienced a similar decline, falling from 21 percent last fall to 14 percent in the latest survey.
That trend suggests Democratic voters are becoming increasingly willing to look beyond the party’s most recognizable names.
One of the biggest beneficiaries appears to be former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. The former presidential candidate posted the largest gain in the survey, reaching double digits for the first time with 11 percent support. For a politician who has remained active in public debates while largely avoiding the daily political spotlight, the improvement is noteworthy.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez also showed signs of recovery. After slipping in earlier polling, the New York congresswoman climbed back to 8 percent support, maintaining her place among the more prominent figures in the party’s progressive wing.
Perhaps the most revealing number in the survey, however, wasn’t attached to any candidate at all.
Seventeen percent of respondents said they remain undecided.
That’s a significant chunk of the Democratic electorate, especially considering the race is still years away. It suggests that while voters may have familiar names in mind, many have not yet settled on a preferred nominee.
Harris continues to draw her strongest support from key Democratic constituencies. Nearly half of Black voters surveyed—49 percent—backed her. She also performed exceptionally well among younger voters, with 48 percent of those between 18 and 29 choosing the former vice president.
She led among voters without a college degree as well, capturing 35 percent support within that group.
Even among white voters, where Democratic candidates often compete more closely, Harris maintained a narrow edge. She received 17 percent support compared to 16 percent for Newsom and 15 percent for Buttigieg.
Still, the survey revealed some notable weaknesses.
Among voters aged 65 and older, Newsom emerged as the clear favorite, earning 23 percent support. Harris managed just 11 percent among seniors, trailing both Newsom and Buttigieg.
Newsom also narrowly outperformed Harris among voters holding postgraduate degrees.
The findings offer a snapshot of a Democratic Party that appears to be in the early stages of sorting out its future leadership. Harris remains the best-known figure in the field and continues to benefit from strong support among important voting blocs. Yet the downward trend in her numbers suggests some voters are beginning to explore alternatives.
The survey’s results also differ from other recent polling. An Emerson College poll released last month painted a more challenging picture for Harris, showing her at just 10 percent support while Newsom led at 16 percent. That survey also found Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear making significant gains.
Taken together, the polls suggest one thing above all else: the Democratic race remains wide open.
