(CNN) — About half of Americans say they’ve already given the 2028 presidential election, set to be the first race since 2016 without a sitting president vying for the nomination on either side, at least some thought, according to a new CNN poll conducted by SSRS.
With nearly three years to go until that election, about two-thirds of Americans haven’t gotten so far as to have any possible candidates in mind yet, while 33% of Americans say they do.
Those who do have a candidate in mind named 65 people who they would like to see make a run for the presidency. There is little consolidation around any single candidate at this early stage: Most of the potential candidates were mentioned by 1% of respondents or less.
Looking just at the views of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents, 22% name Vice President JD Vance, 4% name Secretary of State Marco Rubio and 2% name Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. Another 3% say they’d like President Donald Trump to make another run even though he is barred by the two-term limit proscribed by the 22nd Amendment of the Constitution.
Among Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents, 11% name California Gov. Gavin Newsom, 5% name former Vice President Kamala Harris, 4% name Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and 2% name former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. Here too, 2% would like former President Barack Obama to make another run despite the constitutional bar.
We asked those who had someone in mind to describe in their own words what drew them to their chosen candidate. Those without a candidate in mind were asked what traits, attributes and viewpoints they might be looking for in a president.
Personal qualities dominate the lists that emerge in both groups, with fewer seeking specific positions on issues or ideological viewpoints. Topping the list is a range of positive traits: honesty, compassion and empathy; a desire to help people; and integrity, values and ethics. Alongside those attributes, the most frequently cited issue is attention to the economy and the cost of living.
Who would Americans like to see run for the White House?
Among the types of possible candidates mentioned:
- Those who’ve made a run in the past, such as Harris, Buttigieg, Rubio, DeSantis or Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar.
- Those widely expected to make a serious run for the presidency, including Vance, Newsom and Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro.
- Those newer to the national political scene, such as Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, Texas Rep. Jasmine Crockett, Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders and Utah Gov. Spencer Cox.
- Famous non-politicians such as Jon Stewart, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Oprah Winfrey and Mark Cuban.
The reasons Americans offer for why they are thinking about these candidates offer a preview of how those figures might try to appeal to the broader public over the next few years.
All told, Americans who have a candidate in mind are pretty evenly split between those thinking of a more Republican or conservative potential candidate (16%) and a Democratic or liberal-leaning one (14%). Just one respondent named candidates from both sides, offering this bipartisan wishlist: “Mitt Romney or Mark Kelly.”
There was more openness to bipartisanship and cross-party appeal among those who don’t yet have a specific person in mind for the next presidential race. Overall, about 4% of adults said it was important that the next president be a uniter or someone who works across party lines. One such respondent, a Republican, wrote, “Very important to talk about unity and bringing together Republicans and Democrats together and to stop fighting so dang much. And stop politicizing everything.”
Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents (56%) are more likely than Republicans and Republican leaners (44%) to say they’ve given the three-years-off presidential election some thought. At the same time, though, those who align with the Democratic Party are a bit less likely to have a candidate in mind who they’d like to see run (30% among Democrats and Democratic-leaners vs. 36% among Republicans and Republican-leaners).
What traits, attributes or views do Americans think the next president should have?
Across party lines, though, the most frequently sought attributes in a president are quite consistent. Honesty tops the list for both parties, and although those aligned with Democrats are more apt to be looking for a compassionate or empathetic candidate (12% vs. 6%), the shares seeking other top traits are fairly similar across parties.
In their own words, here’s what Americans with a candidate in mind say about the people they’d like to see run for the White House.
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CNN’s Ariel Edwards-Levy contributed to this report.
