Which states will lead in the 2028 Democratic primary?
The DNC is hearing input from 12 states on who should vote first in the 2028 Democratic primary, a decision that will determine campaigns and significant campaign spending.
Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg has jumped to the top in a new poll of 2028 Democratic presidential candidates.
According to the latest Emerson College Poll released on May 28, 18% of Democratic voters support Buttigieg’s presidential bid, with California Governor Gavin Newsom and New York Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez in second and third place, respectively.
On the Republican side, Vice President J.D. Vance has a narrow lead among potential candidates with 36% of primary voters, just one point ahead of Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
This represents a significant 15-point increase for Rubio since Emerson’s last poll of Republican candidates in February, and a 16-point drop in support for Vance as a front-runner in the same period.
According to the poll, 15% of Republican primary voters are undecided, compared with 5% for Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley. The Emerson College poll was conducted from May 24th to May 25th, had 1,000 respondents, and had a margin of error of ±3%.
Will Pete Buttigieg run for president?
Buttigieg is the top candidate for the Democratic nomination in 2028, but it is unclear whether he will run for president. But in remarks at the National Action Network conference in April, Buttigieg hinted that running for president in 2028 was a realistic possibility.
“When you ran for president, you met me for a famous lunch at Sylvia’s Restaurant in Harlem, so I could have room on my calendar. Should I book a table at Sylvia’s? Are you planning to run again?” Pastor Al Sharpton asked Buttigieg, according to The Hill.
“Save me a seat, I’ll be there,” Buttigieg responded, without elaborating further.
Will JD Vance run for president?
As of now, Vance has not officially announced his intention to run for president in 2028.
President Donald Trump has also refused to choose between Rubio and Vance as his successor in 2028. At a May 11 White House event, Trump said the two would be the “perfect ticket” to run for the next presidential election.
“I believe it’s a dream team, but these are small things. That doesn’t mean I have my support under any circumstances,” Trump said. “I think it sounds like a presidential candidate and a vice presidential candidate.”
Fernando Cervantes Jr. is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Contact us at fernando.cervantes@usatodayco.com and follow us at X @fern_cerv_.
