Former Vice President Kamala Harris remains the early frontrunner for the Democratic Party’s 2028 presidential nomination, according to a new national survey, though her support has steadily declined over the past several months.
The latest Center Square Voters’ Voice Poll found Harris receiving support from 27% of Democrats and left-leaning independents, nearly doubling the backing of her nearest competitor, California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who finished second with 14%.
While Harris maintains a commanding lead over the field, the survey suggests her once-dominant position may be weakening.
The former vice president’s support has fallen from 33% in October and 31% in March to 27% in the latest poll. Newsom has also seen his numbers slide, dropping from 21% last fall to 14%.
The shifting numbers point to a Democratic field that remains far from settled as potential contenders begin positioning themselves for the post-Biden era.
Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg recorded the largest gain among the candidates tested, reaching double digits for the first time. Buttigieg garnered support from 11% of respondents, a four-point increase from previous surveys.
New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez also regained momentum, earning 8% support after experiencing a dip earlier this year.
Perhaps most notably, a significant portion of Democratic voters remains undecided. Seventeen percent of respondents said they were unsure whom they would support in a 2028 primary, highlighting the uncertainty surrounding a contest that remains more than two years away.
Harris performed particularly well among younger voters and black voters. Nearly half of black respondents, 49%, said they would back the former vice president, while 48% of voters between the ages of 18 and 29 favored her candidacy.
She also led among voters without a college degree, capturing 35% support within that demographic.
Even among white voters, Harris narrowly led the field with 17%, followed by Newsom at 16% and Buttigieg at 15%.
However, Harris was not the preferred candidate among every voting bloc.
Among respondents aged 65 and older, Newsom held a decisive lead with 23% support. Buttigieg followed at 15%, while Harris placed third at 11%.
Newsom also narrowly edged Harris among voters with postgraduate degrees, receiving 19% support compared to her 18%.
The Center Square Voters’ Voice Poll was conducted by Noble Predictive Insights between June 4 and June 6. The survey included 1,224 registered voters who identified as Democrats or left-leaning independents, including 1,013 Democrats and 211 independents.
The findings differ sharply from another recent survey that painted a less favorable picture for both Harris and Newsom.
An Emerson College Polling survey conducted in late May found neither candidate able to surpass 20% support in a crowded Democratic field. Harris registered just 10%, down three points from February, while Newsom fell four points to 16%.
That poll also found growing support for other Democratic governors, including Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, who climbed to 10%, and Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, who reached 9%.
Meanwhile, on the Republican side, recent polling has shown Secretary of State Marco Rubio nearly tied with Vice President JD Vance in early discussions about the party’s future leadership.
Despite her recent decline, the Center Square poll indicates that Harris remains the clear favorite among Democratic voters at this early stage of the 2028 race. Still, with a large share of the electorate undecided and several prominent Democrats gaining traction, the battle for the party’s nomination appears far from settled.
Other Democrats tested in the survey trailed well behind the frontrunners. Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly and Gov. Shapiro combined for 9% support, while Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, Sen. Cory Booker, Sen. Amy Klobuchar, Sen. Chris Murphy and California Rep. Ro Khanna all posted smaller shares of support.
The post New Poll Shows Kamala Harris Leading Democratic 2028 Field, But Support Continues to Slip appeared first on Real News Now.
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