Senator Jon Ossoff is gaining ground in early polling of the potential 2028 Democratic presidential field, as support for former Vice President Kamala Harris and California Governor Gavin Newsom has slipped from earlier highs. Candidates typically begin announcing their runs after the midterms, though it’s not unprecedented for candidates to jump in even before those elections. No candidate in the poll has formally entered the 2028 presidential race.
Although Ossoff has previously indicated that he has "zero interest" in running for president in 2028, and regardless of the fact that the poll places him well behind the Democratic frontrunners at 7 percent, Morning Consult singled him out as “the mover” in the field after his support more than doubled from 3 percent in the previous polling wave. He has climbed from just 1 percent in May and is the only Democrat to post gains in three consecutive waves. Harris remains the clear leader in the hypothetical Democratic primary field with 24 percent support, followed by Newsom at 12 percent and former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg at 9 percent.
Morning Consult surveyed 2,203 registered voters from August 28-30, with a margin of error of plus or minus 2 percentage points. The 2028 primary results reflect responses from voters in each party’s respective primary. Morning Consult described the Democratic race as “quieter on top and busier underneath.” Harris has remained unchanged across the last five polling waves, while Newsom has slid from 19 percent in June to his weakest point so far this year.
Ossoff, meanwhile, has continued to gain. Newsweek has reached out to Ossoff’s campaign for comment. Patrick Casale, senior adviser to Nevada GOP Chairman Michael McDonald, told Newsweek that Ossoff’s path to becoming a serious 2028 presidential contender could depend on how the Democratic Party’s socialist wing performs in the midterms.
If Democratic socialist candidates perform well, he predicted the party would push Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez for president. But “if they lose in the midterms, they’re not going to run with her [AOC],” Casale said. He’s [Newsom has] destroyed paradise.
Oh, that would be California,” Casale said. Ossoff’s polling gains come as the Georgia senator has drawn increasing national attention in recent weeks, including for his more confrontational approach toward President Donald Trump and his administration. During an August rally, Ossoff threw Trump aide Natalie Harp into the spotlight while criticizing the president’s priorities and handling of the Iran war.
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