The Democrats seem to be in a dilemma, as recent polling data suggests that Vice President Kamala Harris is struggling to secure a commanding lead in the race for the 2028 presidential primaries. Clearly, her popularity within her party is dwindling and fast, if it ever existed in the first place.
In a recent poll conducted by Atlas Intel and published on May 30, it seems Kamala Harris is not the Democrats’ top choice for 2028, much to her chagrin. Surprisingly enough, Pete Buttigieg, the former transportation secretary under the Biden administration and ex-mayor of South Bend, Indiana, claimed the top spot among Democrats.
It appears the Democratic party isn’t too sold on the idea of having Harris as their ‘chosen one’. According to the Atlas Intel poll, 31.5% of self-identified Democrats expressed their choice would be for Buttigieg in the upcoming presidential race. One can’t help but wonder if Harris is feeling the pressure.
Contradicting other polls released in May by Echelon Insights and McLaughlin & Associates that painted Harris as the frontrunner, these results from Atlas Intel stick out. Not only is Harris losing the competition for first place, but she’s struggling even to secure a spot as the second choice.
The VP finds herself losing out to none other than U.S. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York. A significant 19.4% of Democrats said they would vote for Ocasio-Cortez, while a mere 16.6% stood by Harris. Despite the media hype surrounding these political figures, actual Democratic preferences paint a very different picture.
In the race among Harris, Ocasio-Cortez, and Buttigieg, while all of them are popular names within the Democratic Party, none have so far confirmed whether they will actually run for the presidency. This, of course, brings the credibility of their supposed popularity within the Democratic crowd into question.
According to CBS News, Harris has been considering running for the governor’s position back home in California or, despite the lackluster response to her potential presidential candidature, a bid for presidency. One might question: if she can’t solidify her standing within her own party, can she convince the nation?
Further adding insult to injury for Harris is the fact that U.S. Senator Cory Booker from New Jersey ranks fourth in terms of popularity among Democrats, with around 10.4% of Democrats confirming they’d vote for him. It seems her dwindling popularity is opening up space for other contenders to claim the spotlight.
Trailing behind Booker, California Governor Gavin Newsom received a 7.1% preference rate, and this was followed by Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro with 4.8%. Even Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer managed to secure a preference rate of 3.7% from the polled Democrats.
The poll also reported an insightful trend – a total of 3.6% of polled Democrats indicating their preference as ‘none of the above’. Evidently, the lack of inspired leadership within the Democratic Party is turning some voters off, casting doubts on the list of prospects tipped to take the mantle from Biden.
In a surprising twist, only a minuscule 1.4% of the polled Democrats mentioned they would vote for U.S. Senator Raphael Warnock from Georgia. It seems the support for the Democratic lineup is much less unanimous than their media portrayal would suggest.
The Atlas Intel poll strays far from painting a rosy picture for the current Biden administration and their future prospects. Conducted between May 21 and May 27, this comprehensive survey involved a substantial sample size of 3,469 U.S. adults and operates within a margin of error of plus or minus 2.2%.
These poll findings should come as a wake-up alarm for the Democratic Party and act as an indication of the growing dissatisfaction within its own ranks. The party has serious contemplation to do, especially if it wishes to retain the presidency come the next cycle.
In a nutshell, the Democratic landscape for the upcoming 2028 presidential race appears to be in a state of flux, filled with uncertainty and void of strong leadership. Unsettled and uninspiring, the current situation should give Democratic Party pundits a cause for concern, raising serious questions about their strategy for voter appeal.