A Crooked Con straw poll revealed exactly how progressives feel about potential Democratic presidential candidates.
Now that the midterms are over, both sides of the aisle are setting their sights on the 2028 presidential election, and it looks like attendees of the progressive event are not planning to rally behind the Democratic Party’s most recent candidate. According to CNN politics reporter Patrick Svitek, former Vice President Kamala Harris landed in 16th place, indicating that she has fallen out of favor with a party that is shifting ever leftward.
Look:
Crooked Con’s 2028 straw poll results: https://t.co/2BT7meS7QU
— Patrick Svitek (@PatrickSvitek) November 7, 2026
The straw poll, which received 990 votes, ranked Democratic first-choice nominees as follows:
- Jon Ossoff – 380 votes
- Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez – 164 votes
- Pete Buttigieg – 139 votes
- JB Pritzker – 44 votes
- Andy Beshear – 38 votes
- Josh Shapiro – 37 votes
- Mark Kelly – 33 votes
- Wes Moore – 26 votes
- Gavin Newsom – 23 votes
- Chris Van Hollen – 17 votes
- Raphael Warnock – 12 votes
- Chris Murphy – 12 votes
- Bernie Sanders – 8 votes
- Gretchen Whitmer – 8 votes
- Ro Khanna – 8 votes
- Kamala Harris – 6 votes
- Elissa Slotkin – 6 votes
All other potential candidates, including Donald Trump, James Talarico, Abdul El-Sayed, Michelle Obama and Ruben Gallego, received 5 votes or fewer.
This is good news for conservatives who were concerned that Newsom and Harris could use their popularity among Democrats in California to launch a united ticket in 2028. It also appears that progressive voters aren’t quite ready to rally around younger, more left-leaning potential candidates like El-Sayed and Talarico, though that could change down the road.
X users reacted to the information:
Ossoff/AOC unity ticket
— Jeremy Thomas (@hey_itsthatguy) November 8, 2026
The Kamala Harris and Gavin Newsom numbers are the big takeaway here.
— Josh Skolnick (@JoshSkolnick_) November 8, 2026
Kamala trails Ro Khanna.
She’s probably not going to run.
— Michael (@Socdem_Michael) November 8, 2026
Don’t know who the nominee will be but it won’t be Harris and it won’t be Newsom.
— Alex Crockford (@gingerwandrer) November 8, 2026
If Ossof runs he wins. If AOC runs too it’s close but still think Ossof wins (though I think AOC is eyeing the senate seat).
For the first time in a while the Dems have a DEEP bench of talent.
— Michael Kinsman (@mhkinsvoice) November 8, 2026
This looks like the 2019 polling when Kamala dropped out of the 2020 primary before we even reached 2020.
— Jay Garcia (@LeftWithLimits) November 8, 2026
There’s a few people on this list I like but broadly it feels boring. I’d love someone more obscure who has done the work to come out of nowhere and wow us all. Like Talarico did here in Texas (but definitely not Talarico).
— jack of a handful of trades (@shinrowse) November 8, 2026
Writers and editors can be contacted at [email protected] with feedback, tips, or corrections.
Sierra Marlee is a millennial whose hunger for the truth in a world of fake news has led her to write. Marlee also contributes to BizPac Review.
- Kamala Harris lands 16th in progressive 2028 straw poll — Jon Ossoff takes commanding lead - November 9, 2026
- NBC skips national anthem during game in Veterans Day week — viewers call foul - November 9, 2026
- Erika Kirk fires back at comedians over jokes about Charlie Kirk: ‘Beyond disgusting’ - November 9, 2026
Comment
We have no tolerance for comments containing violence, racism, profanity, vulgarity, doxing, or discourteous behavior. If a comment is spam, instead of replying to it please click the ∨ icon below and to the right of that comment. Thank you for partnering with us to maintain fruitful conversation.