June 2026 Substack Poll Results

Buttigieg leads 2028 field, Dems want big changes to the party

Last week, I asked readers to take a Substack poll about the future of the Democratic Party.

The point was simple: the Democratic Party spends too much time talking at voters and not enough time listening to them. So I wanted to hear directly from readers about where they think the party stands, what needs to change, and what kind of leadership they want to see next.

As we said when we launched it, this is a Substack poll of Democratic voters and readers of The Quiet Part Out Loud. It should not be treated as a scientific survey of every Democrat in America. The audience is heavily Democratic because that was the goal. We wanted to take the temperature of people who care about the future of the party and want Democrats to win.

More than 1,100 people voted. The results are interesting, and in several places, very clear: Democratic voters are more practical, more direct, and more willing to challenge the party’s habits than many party leaders seem to understand.

Here are the full toplines.

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Who Took the Poll

How would you describe your politics?

• Democrat — 79%

• Independent — 19%

• Republican — 2%

Where do you live?

• South Carolina — 43%

• Northeast — 15%

• South — 16%

• West — 15%

• Midwest — 10%

Gender

• Man — 40%

• Woman — 60%

• Prefer not to say — 1%

Age range

• 18–29 — 1%

• 30–44 — 7%

• 45–59 — 13%

• 60–74 — 38%

• 75+ — 41%

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Trust and 2024

How much trust do you currently have in the Democratic Party to make the right strategic decisions?

• A great deal — 8%

• A fair amount — 38%

• Not much — 45%

• None at all — 7%

• Not sure — 2%

Thinking about the 2024 election, do you think President Biden should have announced earlier that he would not seek reelection?

• Yes — 89%

• No — 3%

• Not sure — 8%

After President Biden withdrew, which statement comes closest to your view?

• Democrats should have held a primary — 61%

• Immediate Harris unity was right — 39%

What most damaged your trust in Democratic leadership in 2024?

• Biden running again — 37%

• No competitive process — 23%

• Weak outreach to men — 5%

• Lack of an immigration message — 11%

• Poor economic message — 23%

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Reform and the Democratic Brand

Do you favor or oppose setting a maximum age of 75 to begin a new term in federal elected office?

• Strongly favor — 63%

• Somewhat favor — 23%

• Somewhat oppose — 5%

• Strongly oppose — 4%

• Neutral / unsure — 5%

How important should banning partisan gerrymandering nationwide be for Democrats?

• Top priority — 49%

• Important, but not top — 43%

• Somewhat important — 5%

• Not important at all — 1%

• Not sure — 2%

Which reform should Democrats prioritize first?

• Age limits for politicians — 6%

• Ban gerrymandering nationally — 30%

• Better outreach to men — 3%

• Limit influence of outside groups — 23%

• Better economic message — 38%

Which negative word do you think many voters most associate with the Democratic Party?

• Weak — 39%

• Preachy — 6%

• Woke — 24%

• Elitist — 14%

• Too politically correct — 17%

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Men and the Democratic Party

Do you believe the Democratic Party does a good job speaking to men as voters?

• Yes — 9%

• No — 47%

• Unsure — 44%

What should Democrats emphasize the most when speaking to men?

• The dignity of work — 66%

• Fatherhood — 13%

• Mental health — 14%

• Addiction and recovery — 1%

• Sports and culture — 6%

How would you assess the Democratic Party’s appeal to male voters?

• Democrats have a real problem with men — 43%

• Not a problem — 9%

• Unsure — 48%

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Economics, Parents, and Big Tech

Which economic message would be strongest for Democrats?

• Lower costs for families — 42%

• Increase wages — 10%

• Break up monopolies — 5%

• Tax the ultra-wealthy — 35%

• Balance the budget — 9%

What is the biggest challenge facing parents right now?

• Childcare costs — 28%

• Housing affordability — 36%

• Social media / technology — 7%

• Health care costs — 20%

• School quality / safety — 9%

What are the biggest threats caused by Big Tech?

• Harmful impacts of social media — 34%

• Data centers — 22%

• Cell phones / tablets in schools — 2%

• The uncertain future of AI — 27%

• Lack of human interaction — 15%

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Immigration and Public Safety

Do you believe that voters trust Democrats on immigration and border security?

• Yes — 21%

• No — 54%

• Unsure — 25%

Should Democrats be more direct in saying they support a secure border?

• Strongly favor — 54%

• Somewhat favor — 33%

• Somewhat oppose — 5%

• Strongly oppose — 2%

• Not sure — 6%

What should be the Democrat’s main immigration message?

• Secure border + reform — 60%

• Oppose ICE — 16%

• Path to citizenship — 23%

• Don’t talk about immigration — 1%

Do you believe Democrats are trusted by voters on the issue of crime and public safety?

• Yes — 24%

• No — 30%

• A little — 31%

• Unsure — 15%

“Defund the Police” was...

• Smart policy and politics for Democrats — 1%

• Terrible policy + politics for Democrats — 58%

• A good idea, but misunderstood — 40%

Should Democrats be more vocal in supporting law enforcement and cracking down on crime?

• Yes, it’s smart policy and politics — 80%

• No, that’s the Republicans’ job — 7%

• Not sure — 13%

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Cultural Issues and Candidate Flexibility

How should Democrats handle debates over transgender rights and school sports?

• Broad support for trans rights — 19%

• Support rights, allow flexibility — 50%

• Support rights without sports — 26%

• Not sure — 6%

Should Democrats in competitive elections have flexibility on culturally sensitive issues?

• Yes, winning is most important — 73%

• No, Democrats should toe the party line — 8%

• Not sure — 19%

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2028

If the 2028 Democratic presidential primary were held today, who would you support?

• Kamala Harris — 6%

• Pete Buttigieg — 33%

• Gavin Newsom — 25%

• Andy Beshear — 25%

• Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez — 10%

What matters most to you in a 2028 Democratic nominee?

• Can beat the Republican nominee — 61%

• Someone who will prosecute Trump — 8%

• Working-class appeal — 15%

• Experienced leader — 13%

• A new face — 2%

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What This Means

1. Democratic voters have serious doubts about the party’s strategic judgment.

Only 8% of respondents said they have “a great deal” of trust in the Democratic Party to make the right strategic decisions. A majority said they have “not much” or “none at all.” That is a warning sign from inside the tent. These are Democratic voters saying the party has to do a better job earning confidence from its own people.

2. The 2024 nomination process left a mark.

The clearest result in the poll was Biden: 89% said he should have announced earlier that he would not seek reelection. Then 61% said Democrats should have held a primary after he withdrew. Democratic voters clearly did not like feeling managed. They wanted more honesty, more openness, and a process that felt less like party leaders were trying to choreograph their way through a problem voters already understood.

3. Democratic voters want the party to be much more direct on immigration and public safety.

On immigration, 87% favored Democrats being more direct in saying they support a secure border, and 60% chose “secure border + reform” as the party’s main message. Only 1% said Democrats should avoid talking about immigration.

On public safety, 80% said Democrats should be more vocal in supporting law enforcement and cracking down on crime. On “Defund the Police,” 58% said it was terrible policy and politics, while only 1% said it was smart policy and politics.

Those answers came from Democratic voters. The party’s own voters are saying Democrats should stop sounding nervous on issues voters already care about.

4. The party’s brand problem starts with weakness.

When asked which negative word voters most associate with Democrats, the top answer was “weak” at 39%. “Woke” came in second at 24%. Cultural issues are part of the problem, but weakness is the bigger warning. Voters do not want a party that sounds hesitant, defensive, or overmanaged. They want a party that knows what it believes and can say it clearly.

5. Democratic voters want candidates in tough races to have room to win.

Seventy-three percent said Democrats in competitive elections should have flexibility on culturally sensitive issues. Only 8% said Democrats should toe the party line. That is one of the strongest results in the poll. Democratic voters understand that a candidate running in South Carolina, Georgia, North Carolina, or a swing district cannot always sound exactly like a national spokesperson. Winning requires candidates who know their voters and have enough room to meet them where they are.

6. The economic message has to start with daily life.

The strongest economic message was “lower costs for families,” and the biggest challenge facing parents was housing affordability. Childcare and health care followed close behind. Democratic voters are asking the party to speak more plainly about the cost of living, the cost of raising kids, and the pressure families feel every month. That should be the center of the economic conversation.

7. The 2028 message is electability.

Pete Buttigieg led the candidate question at 33%, with Gavin Newsom and Andy Beshear tied at 25%. Kamala Harris was at 6%, and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez was at 10%.

The more revealing result came next: 61% said the most important quality in a 2028 nominee is the ability to beat the Republican nominee. That overwhelmed every other answer. Democratic voters are not treating 2028 like a vanity exercise. They want someone who can win.

My biggest takeaway is simple: Democratic voters want Democrats to win, and they want the party to get more practical, more direct, and more serious about rebuilding trust.

That does not require abandoning our values. It requires speaking plainly, respecting voters’ concerns, and giving candidates enough room to win the races in front of them.

I plan to keep talking about many of these issues in the weeks ahead — what Democrats are hearing from voters, what the party should learn from these results, and how Democrats can use these lessons effectively in real campaigns and real conversations.

I also want this project to continue listening to the wishes of the party. This poll was a start, not a finish.

We are already working on the next poll, which will launch sometime in the next couple of weeks. The goal is to keep listening, keep learning, and keep asking the questions Democrats should be asking more often.