Several prominent but controversial Democrats have topped the list of most popular politicians in a new poll that hints the left may risk a repeat of 2024’s election loss.
Using SMS and online panel respondents, Data for Progress conducted a survey of 767 likely New York Democratic primary voters from March 26 to 31.
According to the poll results from Files for Progress, Senator Bernie Sanders enjoyed the highest favorability (+69) among Democratic figures, followed closely by former Vice President Kamala Harris (+63) – despite having been soundly beaten by President Donald Trump.
At Harris’s heals is Senator Elizabeth Warren (+60), Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (+59) and former U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg (+55).
Meanwhile, Schumer had the highest disapproval rating of every Democrat on the poll.
This discontent, fueled by his support of a Republican spending bill, has even led to calls for Ocasio-Cortez to challenge him in a 2028 primary for his senate seat.
The poll shows Schumer having a 19-point deficit against Ocasio-Cortez in a hypothetical matchup.
The poll also reveals that for New York Democratic primary voters, ‘threats to democracy’ top the list of voting priorities, followed by ‘Social Security and Medicare,’ and then ‘economy, jobs, and inflation.’

Several prominent but controversial Democrats have topped the list of most popular politicians in a new poll that hints they may risk to repeat 2024’s election loss

The poll shows Schumer with the lowest approval rating of prominent Democrats, and a 19-point deficit against Ocasio-Cortez in a hypothetical matchup
However, the biggest takeaway is that most on the left are not enthused about the Democrats’ prospect in future elections.
A significant 84 percent believe Democrats in Congress aren’t adequately opposing Trump and the MAGA movement.
Despite losing the popular vote, the Electoral College, and every single swing state in the recent presidential election against Donald Trump, a different poll suggests former Vice President Kamala Harris is nationally still the Democratic Party’s undisputed frontrunner.
In a political twist few would have predicted in the aftermath of 2024, Harris currently leads the early 2028 Democratic primary field by a staggering 26-point margin, according to a Morning Consult poll.
The Files for Progress has Harris ranked as runner up to Sanders.
The numbers speak for themselves with 36 percent of Democratic and Democratic-leaning independent voters saying they want Harris at the top of the ticket once again.
But the latest CNN poll that asked Democrats and Democratic-leaning Independent which one person best reflects the core values of the Democratic Party today, Ocasio-Cortez was the clear winner.
Ocasio-Cortez, 35, came in first place with ten percent while Harris was second with nine percent.


According to the poll results from Files for Progress, Senator Bernie Sanders enjoyed the highest favorability (+69) among Democratic figures, followed by former Vice President Kamala Harris


Following at Harris’s heals is Senator Elizabeth Warren (+60), Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (+59), and former U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg (+55)
She also beat out several other Democrats who’ve been floated as potential 2028 contenders.
Sanders came in third, followed Former President Barack Obama – who is constitutionally ineligible to run for a third term – and Texas Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett, who were tied for fifth with four percent.