PoliticsPete Buttigieg Emerges as Early 2028 Democratic Front-Runner in May Poll: Results Explained
An Emerson College Polling survey found Pete Buttigieg narrowly leading the field of potential contenders for the 2028 Democratic nomination as of May 2026.
July 12 2026, Published 7:00 a.m. ET
As Democrats begin looking toward the 2028 presidential race, one potential contender is emerging in ways some voters may not have anticipated.
In an Emerson College Polling survey conducted from May 24 to 25, Vice President J.D. Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio earned the top two spots for the prospective 2028 Republican nomination, gaining 36 percent and 35 percent, respectively. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley got 5 percent each, while 15 percent remained undecided.
The survey, however, showed the field of potential Democratic presidential contenders was more crowded.
Who Are the Potential 2028 Democratic Presidential Nominees?
The poll was released in May.
According to the poll, Buttigieg led the field of emerging Democratic primary as of May with 18 percent, seeing a two-point increase compared to his 16 percent support in February.
California Governor Gavin Newsom earned 16 percent, while Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez got 11 percent. Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro and former Vice President Kamala Harris had 10 percent each, and Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear ranked last at 9 percent.
Eighteen percent were undecided, per the poll.
Does Pete Buttigieg Plan to Run for President in 2028?
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Pete Buttigieg formally launched a presidential campaign in April 2019.
In January, Buttigieg said he "doesn't know" whether he would run for president in 2028.
"I'm not being cagey. It's just too early to make a big decision like that," he told a Connecticut Forum audience while at The Bushnell in Hartford.
When pressed about a potential campaign, he joked, "I feel like I'm being led down a path here."
Buttigieg made a similar statement during a February interview with WMUR-TV Political Director Adam Sexton, saying it was "a long way from any kind of decision like that."
He continued, "But, I'm very happy to be here, and I know what I should be doing for the next year, which is to be there for causes and candidates that are deserving, to speak out not just against this administration, but for, the measures that are going to make it more affordable and easier to live in this state and in this country."
By spring, he appeared to leave the door open more explicitly, though he still had not announced a campaign.
Buttigieg hinted at his potential presidential run at the National Action Network convention in New York City and during an appearance on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert. In addition, he told independent journalist Anand Giridharadas he would "assess what [he brings] to the table and how it is different than the others."
What Political Roles Has Pete Buttigieg Previously Held?
Pete Buttigieg ended his 2020 presidential campaign in March 2020.
After his unsuccessful 2010 race for Indiana State Treasurer, Buttigieg was elected mayor of South Bend, Ind., at the age of 29, becoming the youngest mayor of a U.S. city with at least 100,000 people. He served in the position from 2012 to 2020.
He began a DNC chairmanship campaign in 2017 but withdrew on the day of the election. He also launched his 2020 presidential campaign but dropped out of the race and endorsed Joe Biden.
The former naval officer then worked as the U.S. Secretary of Transportation in the Biden administration from 2021 to 2025. He was the first openly g-- person confirmed by the Senate to hold a U.S. Cabinet position after he came out in June 2015.
