Pete Buttigieg leads 2028 Democratic presidential ballot in New Hampshire

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MANCHESTER, N.H. - Former Transportation Secy. Pete Buttigieg tops the checklist of potential 2028 Democratic presidential contenders in a brand new ballot carried out in New Hampshire, which has historically held the primary major within the race for the White Home for over a century.

Twenty % of Democratic major voters in New Hampshire mentioned they'd vote for Buttigieg if the 2028 presidential nomination contest was held at this time. California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York had been tied for second at 15%, with former Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democrats' 2024 nominee, and Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona every at 10%, with everybody else in single digits.

The College of New Hampshire Survey Middle ballot was launched Thursday, a few hours earlier than Buttigieg arrived in New Hampshire to marketing campaign with Democrats working on this 12 months's midterm elections.

Requested in regards to the survey by Fox Information Digital, Buttigieg famous," I’m not on any poll proper now."

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<source media="(min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1023px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2026/02/672/378/pete-buttigieg-manchester-new-hampshire-feb.-19-2026.jpeg?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2026/02/1344/756/pete-buttigieg-manchester-new-hampshire-feb.-19-2026.jpeg?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="378" width="672"><source media="(min-width: 1024px) and (max-width: 1279px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2026/02/931/523/pete-buttigieg-manchester-new-hampshire-feb.-19-2026.jpeg?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2026/02/1862/1046/pete-buttigieg-manchester-new-hampshire-feb.-19-2026.jpeg?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="523" width="931"> Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg greets patrons throughout a cease at a restaurant in Manchester, New Hampshire, on Feb. 19, 2026 (Paul Steinhauser/Fox Information )

"Clearly it feels good to be nicely acquired," added Buttigieg, who made loads of pals within the Granite State as he got here in shut second within the 2020 New Hampshire Democratic presidential major, barely behind Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont.

Buttigieg's cease in New Hampshire was his third in an early voting state within the Democratic nominating calendar since stepping down as Transportation secretary following the tip of former President Biden's administration, following journeys final 12 months to South Carolina and Iowa. Whereas he largely avoids 2028 discuss, Buttigieg has mentioned he would take into account what he brings "to the desk" with regard to a different White Home run.

As he kicked off a three-day swing in key New England swing state, Buttigieg teamed up with Rep. Chris Pappas, the clear frontrunner for the Democratic Senate nomination within the race to succeed retiring Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, a fellow Democrat. Shaheen's seat is a prime GOP goal within the midterms.

<source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2026/02/343/192/pete-buttigieg-chris-pappas-manchester-new-hampshire-feb.-19-2026.jpeg?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2026/02/686/384/pete-buttigieg-chris-pappas-manchester-new-hampshire-feb.-19-2026.jpeg?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="192" width="343"><source media="(min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1023px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2026/02/672/378/pete-buttigieg-chris-pappas-manchester-new-hampshire-feb.-19-2026.jpeg?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2026/02/1344/756/pete-buttigieg-chris-pappas-manchester-new-hampshire-feb.-19-2026.jpeg?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="378" width="672"><source media="(min-width: 1024px) and (max-width: 1279px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2026/02/931/523/pete-buttigieg-chris-pappas-manchester-new-hampshire-feb.-19-2026.jpeg?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2026/02/1862/1046/pete-buttigieg-chris-pappas-manchester-new-hampshire-feb.-19-2026.jpeg?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="523" width="931"><source media="(min-width: 1280px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2026/02/720/405/pete-buttigieg-chris-pappas-manchester-new-hampshire-feb.-19-2026.jpeg?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2026/02/1440/810/pete-buttigieg-chris-pappas-manchester-new-hampshire-feb.-19-2026.jpeg?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="405" width="720"> Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, middle, and Rep. Chris Pappas of New Hampshire, a Democratic Senate candidate, marketing campaign in Manchester, N.H. on Feb. 19, 2026 (Paul Steinhauser/Fox Information)

Later Thursday, Buttigieg joined the state's different Democratic Home member, Rep. Maggie Goodlander. And he was scheduled to carry extra occasions on Friday and Saturday, together with a grassroots mobilization occasion that was anticipated to attract some prime New Hampshire supporters from his 2020 presidential marketing campaign.

Buttigieg is heading subsequent week to battleground Nevada, and a supply acquainted instructed Fox Information Digital Buttigieg has plans to marketing campaign for candidates in Ohio, Georgia and Pennsylvania within the weeks forward.

"I’m a giant believer in going in every single place throughout the media panorama and geographically. Some are well-known locations on the political map. Some are a little bit bit off the crushed path. All of them deserve consideration," Buttigieg instructed Fox Information Digital.

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He added that he'll "proceed to go wherever I feel I will be helpful in elevating consideration to points and dealing with candidates I consider in and Chris Pappas is a superb instance of a candidate I'm proud to be supporting and talking up for."

Newsom will probably be subsequent up in New Hampshire.

<source media="(min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1023px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/11/672/378/gavin-newsom-prop-50-sacramento-california-nov.-4-2025.jpg?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/11/1344/756/gavin-newsom-prop-50-sacramento-california-nov.-4-2025.jpg?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="378" width="672"><source media="(min-width: 1024px) and (max-width: 1279px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/11/931/523/gavin-newsom-prop-50-sacramento-california-nov.-4-2025.jpg?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/11/1862/1046/gavin-newsom-prop-50-sacramento-california-nov.-4-2025.jpg?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="523" width="931"> California Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks throughout an election evening press convention at a California Democratic Social gathering workplace Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2025, in Sacramento, Calif. (Godofredo A. Vásquez/AP Photograph)

The California governor's tour for his new e book, "Younger Man in a Hurry," will deliver him to Portsmouth, New Hampshire on March 5. It is going to be his first cease within the state in two years.

Newsom grabbed headlines this previous weekend, as he was one in every of a handful of potential Democratic presidential contenders to talk on the high-profile Munich Safety Convention in Germany.

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Ocasio-Cortez was among the many different Democrats in Munich. However the progressive champion, who has lengthy been laser targeted on affordability and different home points, has confronted intense criticism for almost per week over a gaffe in Munich, when she requested throughout a panel dialogue whether or not the U.S. ought to ship troops to defend Taiwan from a potential invasion by China.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., attends the Munich Safety Convention in Munich, Germany, on Friday, Feb. 13, 2026. (Liesa Johannssen/Reuters)

The four-term lawmaker appeared to stall for almost 20 seconds earlier than providing that the U.S. ought to attempt to keep away from reaching a conflict with China over Taiwan.

Social media posts on the suitable slammed her for providing up a world salad.

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But it surely wasn't simply Republicans who critiqued Ocasio-Cortez.

A veteran Democratic strategist who requested to stay nameless to talk extra freely instructed Fox Information Digital, "It's abundantly clear that AOC just isn't prepared for prime time given her remarks in Europe."

Paul Steinhauser is a politics reporter primarily based within the swing state of New Hampshire. He covers the marketing campaign path from coast to coast."