Here’s the Early Frontrunner Among Democratic 2028 Hopefuls

New results from The Granite State Poll out of the University of New Hampshire has revealed the leading 2028 presidential hopefuls for both major parties.

In prior surveys, the Democrats polling the highest typically consisted of former Vice President Kamala Harris, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY), and California Gov. Gavin Newsom. But now, former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg led the pack with 19% of respondents choosing him as their preferred Democratic candidate, according to the latest Granite State Poll.

Newsom was a close second at 15%, and he was followed Ocasio-Cortez at 14%. Harris finished fourth at 11%.

Continuing a recent trend, commentator Stephen A. Smith was also listed among Democratic hopefuls. Smith has appeared in several polls after making waves with his political commentary on his non-ESPN shows. He usually polls at just a few percentage points, and the Granite State Poll had him coming in below 1%.

On the Republican side, it appears the GOP currently has just one option for 2028: current Vice President JD Vance. In the poll, Vance was the runaway favorite with a staggering 51% naming him as their preferred candidate. Former UN ambassador Nikki Haley was a distant second at 9%; and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard rounded out the top three at 8%. The GOP list also included Secretary of State Marco Rubio (5%), Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders (4%), Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul (4%), and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (3%).