Georgia Sen. Jon Ossoff emerged as the clear favorite in an informal 2028 Democratic presidential straw poll held Saturday at Crooked Con, a Washington convention hosted by liberal media company Crooked Media. Ossoff received 380 of the 990 votes cast, accounting for 38.4% of the total and placing him well ahead of the other potential candidates.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) finished second with 16.6%, followed by former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg with 13.9%. Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker placed fourth with 4.4%.

Former Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic Party's 2024 presidential nominee, received only six votes, or 0.6%, tying for 16th place with Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI). Harris also trailed Sens. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Chris Murphy (D-CT), who each received 1.2%. President Donald Trump received one vote.

The straw poll was not a scientific survey and does not represent the preferences of Democratic voters nationwide. Its results instead offer a snapshot of the views of attendees at the progressive gathering. Nevertheless, Ossoff's commanding lead and Harris's weak showing illustrate the range of potential contenders being discussed among Democratic activists ahead of the next presidential election.

Ossoff's strong performance follows his reelection victory in Georgia on Tuesday. The 39-year-old senator defeated Republican Rep. Mike Collins by approximately 18 percentage points, winning a second six-year term with 59% of the vote to Collins's 41%, according to unofficial state election returns. Ossoff was also the only Senate Democrat seeking reelection this year in a state Trump carried in 2024.

Prediction markets have also placed Ossoff near the front of the emerging Democratic field. As of Sunday, Polymarket gave him a 26.2% chance of winning the party's 2028 presidential nomination, ahead of Ocasio-Cortez at 16.8%, California Gov. Gavin Newsom at 10.5%, and Harris at 5.9%.

Despite the speculation, Ossoff has publicly rejected the idea that he is preparing a presidential campaign. During a debate last month, he said he intended to serve a full six-year Senate term and stated, "I have zero interest in running for president. I'm running for Senate."

Ossoff has also taken positions that put him at odds with parts of the Democratic Party's progressive wing. He has opposed Medicare for All, the Green New Deal, and proposals to abolish U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, potentially complicating his appeal among the activists who attended the convention.