A new national survey conducted by Echelon Insights and led by pollster Kristen Anderson Solis finds a Democratic Party that is both ideologically conflicted and strategically focused as it weighs 2028 leadership choices.
At the top of the prospective 2028 Democratic primary field, Kamala Harris and Gavin Newsom are essentially tied, with Harris drawing 22% support and Newsom close behind at 21%, suggesting no clear front-runner has consolidated the party's base.
The poll, conducted April 17-20 among 1,012 likely voters, has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points and includes a subsample of 525 Democrat or Democrat-leaning voters.
Notably, progressive New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez placed fourth with a solid 10%. Ocasio-Cortez, often known as AOC, is rumored to be considering a 2028 presidential run.
Other potential contenders, such as Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, and Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., register in the mid- to low single digits, reflecting a fragmented field in which name recognition and regional influence have yet to translate into broad national support.
Seemingly the party wants to moderate, the poll says.
The poll found a plurality of respondents, 42%, say the party should move toward the political center, compared with 24% who prefer a shift further to the left, while 18% believe the party's current positioning is appropriate, indicating a measurable appetite for moderation in electoral strategy.
At the same time, responses to other questions suggest that Democrat voters are becoming more left-wing and confrontational.
When asked to choose between competing economic frameworks, 68% of Democrat respondents said they align more with the concept of "democratic socialism," defined in the survey as a system in which government can be relied upon to provide basic needs.
The poll found only 20% of Democrats favored capitalism with sensible regulation, underscoring a significant ideological tilt in economic thinking.
This apparent contradiction — favoring a centrist political strategy while simultaneously endorsing more left-leaning economic principles — illustrates the complexity of the modern Democrat coalition.
The poll also reveals a strong consensus among Democrat voters on the importance of adopting a more aggressive posture in national politics, particularly in relation to President Donald Trump.
An overwhelming 86% of respondents say Democrats should be more combative than they are now, including 62% who specifically favor a much more combative approach.
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