JD Vance, Kamala Harris lead 2028 presidential race: poll

The first signs of the 2028 race are taking shape, with a new poll putting Vice President Kamala Harris and Vice President JD Vance ahead in their parties.

The McLaughlin & Associates survey, released June 25, shows Harris leading Democratic voters with 26%, ahead of California Gov. Gavin Newsom at 16% and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York at 9%. On the Republican side, Vance posts a wider lead at 35%, compared with 15% support for Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

The poll was conducted June 17 to June 23 among 464 likely voters.

President Donald Trump has so far declined to endorse a successor, though he praised both Vance and Rubio as a potential “perfect ticket” during a May 11 White House event.

“I do believe that’s a dream team, but these are minor details. That does not mean you have my endorsement under any circumstances,” Trump said. “I think it sounds like presidential candidate and vice presidential candidate.”

Other polls show a different picture

The McLaughlin survey contrasts with other recent snapshots of the 2028 field, which suggest a less settled race — particularly among Democrats.

An AtlasIntel poll conducted May 4 to May 7 found Ocasio-Cortez leading Democratic candidates with 26%, followed by former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and Newsom. Harris ranked fourth, with roughly half of Ocasio-Cortez’s support.

On the Republican side in that poll, Rubio led with about 45% of primary voters, while Vance and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis trailed behind.

An Emerson College poll released later in May showed yet another shift. Buttigieg led Democrats with 18%, followed by Newsom and Ocasio-Cortez, while Harris again placed fourth, tied with Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro.

For Republicans, Vance narrowly led with 36%, just one point ahead of Rubio.

Fernando Cervantes Jr. is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach him at [email protected] and follow him on X @fern_cerv_.