CNN’s polling guru calls the 2028 Democratic field a ‘mess’
Por Jasmine Fernández — – World RSS Feed
CNN’s polling guru calls the 2028 Democratic field a ‘mess’
Four potential candidates remain within three percentage points of each other at the top of new 2028 polling, led narrowly by former Vice President Kamala Harris
Jasmine Fernández in Portland Wednesday 23 September 2026 01:23 BST
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Democratic voters remain deeply divided over a potential nominee for the 2028 presidential race, according to new polling from Bowling Green State University and YouGov.
The survey placed former Vice President Kamala Harris in a tight race at the top of a crowded pack, with 17 percent support among Democratic voters.
Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg closely followed at 16 percent, while Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., and California Governor Gavin Newsom polled at 14 percent each.
Reviewing the data on “CNN News Central,” CNN chief data analyst Harry Enten described the early primary landscape as exceptionally scattered, comparing the party’s primary base to people who “don’t know what the heck they want.”
“There are four folks within 17 percent, I mean, it’s just completely messy,” Enten said. “The clear thing to take away here is there is no clear leader in this group. This is a field that is messier than any Democratic field in at least 20 years. I would argue, the messiest, least clear Democratic field since 1992.”
open image in galleryEnten noted that the current primary environment differs significantly from prior cycles, calling the lineup the party’s “messiest” in decades and joking that “it’s messier than an airport the Sunday after Thanksgiving.”
Addressing Harris’s standing, CNN host Kate Bolduan asked how her current support compared with her earlier popularity among Democrats. Enten highlighted her sharp drop in numbers since the summer of 2024.
“You see the 17 percent now, back in July of 2024, just as Joe Biden was getting out of the race, Kamala Harris was polling at 45 percent,” Enten said. “You know, that’s more than twice as much as the support that she has right now.”
open image in galleryEnten compared her position with President Donald Trump’s early lead ahead of the 2024 Republican primary, when Trump held 49 percent support among GOP voters.
“This is a weak place for a frontrunner,” Enten said. “These are the types of numbers that would really make me think twice about running if I was Kamala Harris, given her universal name recognition.”
The polling metrics were released hours before Harris was scheduled to join Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed for a campaign stop in Michigan.
The trip to the battleground state reignited questions about her potential 2028 plans, though Harris has not publicly announced or committed to another campaign.
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Presidential ElectionYouGovKamala HarrisDemocrats
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