Poll: Kamala Harris still Democratic favorite for 2028

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(The Center Square) – Former vice president and 2024 presidential candidate Kamala Harris remains the clear Democratic favorite for the next presidential primary two years before the first votes are cast, according to the latest The Center Square Voters’ Voice Poll.

A national sampling of 1,152 Democrats and left-leaning independents were asked which of 13 prominent names in the Democratic Party they would support in the 2028 presidential primary, and 31% chose Harris. 

Harris’ numbers generally remain little changed from a similar October poll where respondents were asked to select from eight Democratic politicians, though her support among independent voters fell in this latest poll. The poll surveyed 934 Democrats and 218 independents that lean Democratic, with each group weighted to match that party’s national population. Harris was the top pick for 32% of Democrats and 18% of independents, while in October, she captured 33% of Democratic and 27% of independent respondents.

Harris also lost some support from female voters but gained some from male voters. Thirty percent of males surveyed chose Harris, compared to 28% in October, while 33% of females polled selected Harris, compared to 36% in October.

The former vice president was least supported among respondents age 65 and older, with only 17% indicating they would vote for her. California Gov. Gavin Newsom bested Harris with this group, securing 21%. 

As in October, however, the next-largest group of those surveyed — 18% of Democrats and 21% of independents — indicated they weren’t sure who they would choose. Otherwise, Newsom was the second-most popular candidate, with 16% support, followed by former Secretary of Transportation under the Biden administration, Pete Buttigieg, at 7%. 

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Buttigieg were neck and neck, as they were in October, with Ocasio-Cortez nabbing 6% of respondents' support overall but falling from third to fourth among the names provided. 

Harris proved to be the most popular choice among all racial groups. She remains by far the favored candidate among Black voters, garnering 55% of their support, 29% of Hispanic and Latinos, 25% of whites and 30% of other races grouped together. Hispanic or Latino respondents showed the strongest support for Newsom among all racial groups surveyed, followed by whites, other races grouped together, and Blacks.

Though Newsom was the top choice for respondents in the West in October, Harris was more popular across the board this time.

Pennsylvania Gov., Josh Shapiro and Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly performed best among those remaining, capturing 5% and 4% of respondents, respectively. Other names polled were the Illinois and Maryland Govs. J.B. Pritzker and Wes Moore, Democratic senators from New Jersey, Kentucky, Minnesota, and Connecticut — Mark Kelly, Cory Booker, Andy Beshear, Amy Klobuchar, Chris Murphy — and California Rep. Ro Khanna. 

The Center Square Voters’ Voice Poll was conducted by Noble Predictive Insights from March 2-5, 2026.