Openly gay Democrat Pete Buttigieg has emerged as the leading candidate for the Democratic nomination in the 2028 US presidential race, according to a new poll by Emerson College Polling.
Buttigieg, the former US Secretary of Transportation under the Biden administration, topped a list of high-profile potential nominees. Participants in the survey were asked who they would support for the Democratic nomination, looking ahead to 2028.
The lineup included notable figures such as former Vice President and 2024 presidential nominee Kamala Harris, California Governor Gavin Newsom, New York Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, and Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders.
Buttigieg secured 16 per cent of support, placing him ahead of Harris, who received 13 per cent. Newsom followed with 12 per cent, while both Ocasio-Cortez and Shapiro drew 7 per cent each.
Despite Buttigieg’s lead, 23 per cent of respondents identified as ‘undecided’, signalling uncertainty within the party’s voter base at this early stage.
If the trend continues, Buttigieg could make history as the first openly gay person to receive a major party’s nomination for president. He previously broke ground in 2020 when the Senate confirmed him as Transportation Secretary.
The poll also gathered Republican perspectives, showing Vice President JD Vance as the frontrunner among GOP contenders, with 46 per cent support. He was trailed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who garnered just 12 per cent.
Spencer Kimball, executive director of Emerson College Polling, said, “Vance has solidified himself as the frontrunner in the 2028 nomination contest, backed by 52% of male Republican primary voters and voters over 60.”
The poll, conducted on 24–25 June, also marks a shift in public sentiment toward former President Donald Trump. For the first time this year, an Emerson poll recorded a negative approval rating for Trump, with 46 per cent disapproving and 45 per cent approving of his performance.
Looking towards the 2026 midterm elections, Kimball noted a slim Democratic advantage, stating: “The Democrats have a slight edge over the Republicans, with independents breaking for the Democratic candidate 37 per cent to 27 per cent. However, a significant 36 per cent of independents are undecided, so this number is expected to shift.”
