Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg is currently leading the pack of possible Democratic presidential primary candidates.
An Emerson College Polling survey was released Thursday and revealed Buttigieg has 18% support. He is followed by California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) at 16%, The Hill reported.
The remaining possible candidates are Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) with 11% support. Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and former Vice President Kamala Harris, who was the party’s nominee in 2024, each earned 10%.
Another 9% of survey respondents support Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear; 18% were undecided.
The showed more support for Buttigieg, Ocasio-Cortez and Beshear. On the other end, support for Newsom and Harris has waned.
Just last month, Buttigieg hinted at a possible presidential run in 2028 while speaking at the National Action Network conference.
“When you ran for president, you met me and we went up to a well-publicized lunch at Sylvia’s Restaurant in Harlem. Just so my calendar is clear. Should I be reserving a table at Sylvia’s? Are you going to run again?” Rev. Al Sharpton asked Buttigieg at the conference.
“You save me a seat, I’ll be there,” Buttigieg said, without elaborating further.
Newsom has been seen as a 2028 front-runner. He’s term-limited as governor of the California but has built a strong national profile in part through his fighting with President Trump.
Harris has said she “might” run again, which would mark her third consecutive run for the presidency.
When asked about a presidential run earlier this month, Ocasio-Cortez said, “They assume that my ambition is a title or a seat, and my ambition is way bigger than that. My ambition is to change this country.”
Conducted May 24-25, Emerson College Polling surveyed 1,000 likely voters and had a credibility interval, similar to a margin of error, of 3 points.
For the subsample of 432 likely Democratic primary voters, the credibility interval was 4.7 points, per the outlet.
