Overview

• CNN’s Harry Enten said Americans view the Democratic brand as “total and complete garbage,” citing polls that show net favorability ratings 30 points underwater in The Wall Street Journal and 26 points underwater in both CNN and Gallup.
• Enten described Democrats as “historically divided,” likening the party’s state to being messier than a hoarder’s basement and lacking cohesion ahead of the 2028 contest.
• No candidate polls at or above 25 percent in early Democratic primary surveys, marking the first time since 1992 that the party has no clear front-runner.
• Betting and money markets give California Governor Gavin Newsom a 20 percent chance of securing the 2028 nomination, followed by Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez at 15 percent, former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg at 9 percent, and Vice President Kamala Harris tied with Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro at about 6 percent.
• A July 16 Quinnipiac University poll recorded a 19 percent approval rating for Democrats in Congress, the lowest level ever measured by the survey, underscoring widespread base discontent.