It’s only 2026, but in the “First-in-the-Nation” primary state of New Hampshire, the race for 2028 is already heating up. A new Granite State Poll from the University of New Hampshire shows a familiar face at the top of the Democratic pack.

Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg has emerged as the early frontrunner, leading a crowded field of high-profile Democrats. While the margin is slim, Buttigieg’s advantage in New Hampshire is proving durable. He boasts a staggering 81% favorability rating among likely primary voters in New Hampshire

New Hampshire has as we know always been a springboard for “Mayor Pete.” In the 2020 New Hampshire Primary, you will remember he pulled off a stunning performance, finishing in a virtual tie for first place with Senator Bernie Sanders, after handily beating all competition in the 2020 Iowa caucuses. Though Sanders narrowly won the popular vote in New Hampshire, Buttigieg’s surge from a little-known mayor to a top-tier contender earned him bragging rights.

Buttigieg’s rise has been nothing short of meteoric since then. A Rhodes Scholar and Navy veteran who served in Afghanistan, Buttigieg first made headlines as the Mayor of South Bend, Indiana, where he was elected at just 29 years old.

After his 2020 presidential run, he joined the Biden administration as the U.S. Secretary of Transportation, overseeing the implementation of the historic Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, allocating $550 billion in new federal funding for transportation, broadband, water, and energy, with a focus on modernizing infrastructure, strengthening supply chains, fixing up to 10,000 bridges and thousands of miles of road, and addressing climate change.

This role kept him in the national spotlight, often serving as a key “communicator-in-chief” for the Biden administration on late-night shows and news programs, where we always love seeing him.

Bu the road to the 2028 nomination won’t be easy. California’s Gavin Newsom is a fundraising powerhouse, and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez currently holds a massive 35-point lead over Buttigieg among voters under the age of 35 though Buttigieg leads among moderates, liberals, and older

It’s a long way to 2028, and many candidates won’t officially declare until after this year’s midterms. But for now, Pete Buttigieg is the man to beat in New Hampshire.

Link to the video here – https://youtu.be/g7hrdLjHcRk?si=d1K-hxuD48OFyfR2