In a surprising twist, a recent poll conducted by AtlasIntel has positioned Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) at the forefront of potential contenders for the 2028 presidential election, outshining other prominent figures.
While previous surveys have consistently favored Kamala Harris, the former presidential hopeful, this poll sees Ocasio-Cortez, a notable member of the progressive “Squad,” leading with 26% of the support. Close behind her is former Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, garnering 22.4% of respondents’ favor, with California Governor Gavin Newsom securing 21.2%.
Kamala Harris trails behind in fourth place, attracting just 12.9% support, while other potential candidates languish in the single digits.
The poll, conducted between May 4 and May 7, surveyed 2,069 American adults and has a margin of error of plus or minus 2 percentage points.
Despite her leading position in the poll, Ocasio-Cortez has yet to declare any intentions to pursue a presidential run. Many supporters are instead urging her to consider challenging Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY) for his seat. In a recent conversation with David Axelrod, Ocasio-Cortez expressed her dedication to transforming the country, emphasizing that her actions are driven by current goals rather than future political ambitions, as she views political offices as temporary roles.
“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. Presidents come and go, Senate, House seats, elected officials, come and go, but single payer healthcare is forever, a living wage is forever, worker’s rights are forever, women’s rights, all that,” she stated.
Other recent polls, however, have shown Harris as the top choice for Democrats despite her sizable loss to President Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential election. One recent survey showed Harris with quite a lead in the potential Democrat primary race, with 38 percent support. Newsom followed with 16 percent, and Ocasio-Cortez came in third with nine percent support.
Similarly, a Harvard-Harris survey showed half of Democrats choosing Harris as their top choice in the potential primary. Once again, Newsom followed with 22 percent support. Nine percent went with Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, and eight percent favored Ocasio-Cortez,
Harris has yet to definitively say whether she plans to run again, but she dropped perhaps her biggest hint during an appearance at Rev. Al Sharpton’s National Action Network convention.
“Listen, I might, I might. I’m thinking about it,” Harris said. “I’ll keep you posted.”