With November's midterm elections just around the corner, some possible candidates in the Democratic and Republican parties are rising to the top in an early 2028 presidential primary poll.
The new poll from Focaldata/Financial Times, released over Labor Day weekend, shows former Vice President Kamala Harris and current Vice President JD Vance
heading for a potential duel in 2028 for the White House.Among Democrats, Harris holds a very comfortable lead with 29% support from likely primary voters. Following her is California Gov. Gavin Newsom at 14%, then Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez with 11%, and former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg at 9%.
The picture among Republican primary voters is clearer, with Vance holding a more than 20-percentage-point
lead with 43%. Secretary of State Marco Rubio comes in second at 21%, while President Donald Trump’s son, Donald Trump Jr., drew 7%.
Conducted from Aug. 28 to Sept. 2, the Focaldata/Financial Times poll surveyed 2,178 U.S. adults.
Is anyone actually running right now?
In short, no. But that could change very soon, as November's midterm elections come and go.
Buzz around potential 2028 candidates has grown in recent weeks as Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, has fueled speculation about another White House bid. He finished second to President Donald Trump in the 2016 Republican presidential primary race.
"It’s no secret that I want to be president," Cruz said in August during an appearance on Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick’s podcast.
While Cruz signaled his potential to run, Rubio has sought to tamp down speculation but did not completely rule out a run. Speaking during an official visit to Colombia, he was asked about a possible presidential campaign and whether he could see himself seeking the White House after Trump's second term ends.
"I don't know what the future holds, but I have no plans at this time," Rubio said. "I'm not a candidate for anything right now. And I’m 100% focused on my job, and I have to be because I have two jobs.”
In the Vance camp, second lady Usha Vance said in a recent interview on "Fox and Friends" that she was keeping an "open mind and open heart" to whatever her husband chose to do ahead of the 2028 primaries.
On the Democratic side, Buttigieg, who has topped other early 2028 polls, hinted at potential plans.
On Steven Bartlett's "The Diary of a CEO" podcast in August, Buttigieg said he is "more inclined than not" to run for president again. He emphasized that his decision will depend on factors that won't become clear for some time.
Fernando Cervantes Jr. is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach him at fernando.cervantes@usatodayco.com and follow him on X @fern_cerv_.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: These 2 potential 2028 presidential candidates lead new primary poll
