Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., has emerged as the leading Democratic contender in a newly released 2028 presidential preference poll, while former Vice President Kamala Harris posted only minimal support among potential voters.
The University of New Hampshire released its latest survey Wednesday, placing Ocasio-Cortez at the top of the Democratic field with 22% support. Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg followed closely behind with 21%, making the two candidates the clear frontrunners among those included in the poll.
Harris, the Democratic Party’s 2024 presidential nominee, received just 5% support in the survey. California Gov. Gavin Newsom, Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona, and Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont each finished with less than 10%.
According to the University of New Hampshire Survey Center, Ocasio-Cortez’s backing is driven largely by “self-described socialists and progressives.” Buttigieg, by contrast, draws support more evenly across several factions within the Democratic Party, including progressives, liberals, and moderates.
No other Democratic hopeful included in the survey managed to earn more than 2% support.
The results could carry added significance because New Hampshire has long been considered one of the earliest and most influential presidential primary states. Polling there is often viewed as an early measure of where candidates stand as campaigns begin to take shape.
On the Republican side, Vice President JD Vance holds a commanding lead among potential 2028 contenders. The survey found Vance receiving 36% support from Republican respondents, comfortably ahead of Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who came in second with 26%.
No other Republican candidate reached double digits. Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky posted the next-highest total with 8%, while the remaining prospective GOP candidates all received less than 10%.
The University of New Hampshire poll surveyed more than 1,500 respondents through online interviews conducted between July 15 and July 20. Researchers reported the poll carries a margin of error of plus or minus 2.6 percentage points.
One notable Democrat absent from the survey’s rankings was Sen. Jon Ossoff of Georgia, despite his status as the Senate’s top fundraiser.
Although Ossoff did not register in the University of New Hampshire poll, his standing has improved elsewhere. According to Kalshi prediction markets, his perceived chances of winning the Democratic presidential nomination have climbed from 5% in January to 16% today, representing more than a threefold increase.
Kalshi also showed gains for Ocasio-Cortez, whose projected chances rose from 10% in January to 15%. Meanwhile, Newsom has seen his standing decline significantly on the prediction market, dropping from 35% in January to 18%.
CNN chief data analyst Harry Enten highlighted another sign of Ossoff’s growing national profile on Wednesday, noting that Google searches for the Georgia senator have reached their highest level on record. Enten also said searches for Ossoff increased by 300% this month compared with July 2025, reflecting a sharp rise in public interest even as the University of New Hampshire poll focused attention on other potential Democratic contenders.
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