A new national poll is delivering troubling news for some of the Democratic Party’s biggest anti-Trump figures as early signs of the 2028 presidential race begin taking shape.
The latest Emerson College survey shows Republican voters rallying behind candidates closely aligned with President Donald Trump’s agenda, while several top Democrats appear to be struggling to build momentum with voters nationwide.
Vice President JD Vance narrowly led the Republican field with 36% support, but Secretary of State Marco Rubio was right behind him at 35%, signaling a major surge for the longtime Trump ally.
Rubio’s rise marked one of the biggest shifts in the poll. Earlier this year, he stood at just 20%, but his growing role in advancing President Trump’s foreign policy priorities appears to have dramatically boosted his national profile among conservative voters.
Although Vance still maintains a slight edge, his support has dropped significantly since February, when he polled above 50%. The numbers suggest Republican voters are keeping a close eye on multiple Trump-backed leaders as speculation about the future of the GOP continues to grow.
For Democrats, however, the poll revealed several warning signs.
California Governor Gavin Newsom and former Vice President Kamala Harris — both frequent critics of President Trump — each saw their support decline compared to earlier polling.
Newsom dropped four points from his February numbers, while Harris slipped three points, despite remaining among the most recognizable names in the Democratic Party.
Even with a crowded field that included Pete Buttigieg, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, and Representative Ro Khanna, no Democrat managed to gain more than 20% support overall.
The lack of a clear frontrunner is likely to raise new concerns among Democratic strategists already worried about voter enthusiasm heading into future national elections.
Meanwhile, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro and Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear posted modest gains, though both remained well behind the party’s bigger national figures.
On the Republican side, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, Senator Ted Cruz, and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. all polled below 5%, underscoring how strongly GOP voters currently favor candidates tied to President Trump’s political movement.
The Emerson College poll surveyed 1,000 likely voters between May 24 and May 25.
While the 2028 election is still years away, the early polling suggests President Trump’s influence over the Republican Party remains extremely strong — and Democrats may still be searching for a candidate capable of uniting their divided base.