Ossoff Tops Progressive Convention Straw Poll for 2028

Georgia Sen. Jon Ossoff was the leading choice in a straw poll on the 2028 Democratic presidential nomination conducted at Crooked Con, a progressive convention in Washington, D.C. He received 38.4% of the 990 responses, results published November 8 showed.

New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez placed second with 16.6%, while former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg was third with nearly 14%. Other candidates received single-digit shares. Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear and Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro each received 4%; Sen. Mark Kelly and Maryland Gov. Wes Moore each had 3%; and California Gov. Gavin Newsom received 2.3%.

Former Vice President Kamala Harris received 0.6%, placing 16th, tied with Michigan Sen. Elissa Slotkin. The poll was not a scientific survey and drew about 1,000 votes, making it a snapshot of attendees rather than a measure of Democratic voters overall.

Ossoff has said he has no interest in seeking the presidency and intends to serve a full six-year Senate term. He has also opposed Medicare for All, the Green New Deal, abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and expanding the Supreme Court.

The convention, hosted by Crooked Media, included discussions by liberal figures about the Democratic Party’s future. The straw-poll result contrasts with the latest RealClearPolitics aggregate of potential 2028 Democratic candidates, where Harris leads with 21.8%, Newsom has 13.5%, and Ossoff is fifth with 10.8%.

Progressive Convention Straw Poll Puts Ossoff at the Front

Progressive convention-goers put Georgia Sen. Jon Ossoff ahead of the field in a straw poll for the 2028 Democratic nomination, giving him 38.4% of 990 responses. New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez followed with 16.6%, and former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg received nearly 14%.

The result offers a clear signal of where attendees at Crooked Con are looking for the party’s next standard-bearer. Harris received just 0.6% and tied for 16th, while California Gov. Gavin Newsom drew 2.3%. The poll is not scientific and reflects convention attendees, not the broader electorate.

Ossoff has said he has no interest in running for president and has committed to serving a full Senate term. His policy record also diverges from some progressive priorities: he has opposed Medicare for All, the Green New Deal, abolishing ICE and expanding the Supreme Court. Those positions frame the tension between his strong showing among attendees and the causes many on the left want Democrats to champion.

The poll differs sharply from the latest RealClearPolitics aggregate of potential 2028 candidates, where Harris leads with 21.8%, Newsom has 13.5%, and Ossoff is fifth with 10.8%. Crooked Con, hosted by Crooked Media in Washington, featured discussions about the party’s future.

Small Progressive Straw Poll Elevates Ossoff, Not Harris

A convention straw poll has elevated Georgia Sen. Jon Ossoff as the preferred 2028 Democratic nominee among Crooked Con attendees, while former Vice President Kamala Harris received only 0.6%. Ossoff won 38.4% of 990 responses; Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez was second at 16.6%, and Pete Buttigieg was third with nearly 14%.

The result is a snapshot of a progressive gathering, not a scientific survey of Democratic voters. That distinction matters: the latest RealClearPolitics aggregate still puts Harris first among potential 2028 candidates at 21.8%, with Newsom at 13.5% and Ossoff fifth at 10.8%.

Ossoff has said he does not want to run for president and intends to serve a full six-year Senate term. His positions also cut against demands from parts of the left: he has opposed Medicare for All, the Green New Deal, abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and expanding the Supreme Court. The convention poll therefore reflects the preferences of its attendees, not a settled choice by the party.

Ocasio-Cortez followed Ossoff, while all other listed candidates received single-digit support. Harris tied for 16th with Michigan Sen. Elissa Slotkin. Crooked Con, hosted by Crooked Media in Washington, included discussions by liberal figures on the Democratic Party’s future.