For those who say the midterms just ended and 2020 talk is too early: We hear you. Nevertheless, a CNN/SRSS poll is here, and we must listen.
A Democratic primary poll released Friday puts former Vice President Joe Biden on top of the list of potential Democratic candidates, with a convincing 30 percent of voters supporting him. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) comes behind him with 14 percent, and Rep. Beto O'Rourke (D-Texas) is next in line with 9 percent.
Of course, none of these top candidates have fully committed to running for president. And in December 2014 — a little less than 2 years ahead of 2016's election — that race's winner hadn't announced his candidacy either. In fact, a CNN poll from four years ago predicted we'd see some now-forgotten faces on top of a GOP primary.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
That's right, remember Jeb Bush, Chris Christie, and Ben Carson? Since topping this poll, they've most recently gained attention for doing nothing, turning down White House jobs, and purchasing a very expensive table, respectively. Eventual President Trump doesn't even appear on the list, suggesting Democrats' next leader could still be yet to come.
CNN's most recent poll surveyed 1,015 people — 463 of whom were Democrats — from Dec. 6-9 via landline and cell phone, with a 3.8 percent margin of error.
-
Margaret Atwood’s ‘deliciously naughty’ memoirIn the Spotlight ‘Bean-spilling’ book by The Handmaid’s Tale author is ‘immensely readable’
-
Being a school crossing guard has become a deadly jobUnder the Radar At least 230 crossing guards have been hit by cars over the last decade
-
Sudoku medium: November 4, 2025The Week's daily medium sudoku puzzle
-
Senate votes to kill Trump’s Brazil tariffSpeed Read Five Senate Republicans joined the Democrats in rebuking Trump’s import tax
-
Border Patrol gets scrutiny in court, gains power in ICESpeed Read Half of the new ICE directors are reportedly from DHS’s more aggressive Customs and Border Protection branch
-
Shutdown stalemate nears key pain pointsSpeed Read A federal employee union called for the Democrats to to stand down four weeks into the government standoff
-
Trump vows new tariffs on Canada over Reagan adspeed read The ad that offended the president has Ronald Reagan explaining why import taxes hurt the economy
-
NY attorney general asks public for ICE raid footageSpeed Read Rep. Dan Goldman claims ICE wrongly detained four US citizens in the Canal Street raid and held them for a whole day without charges
-
Trump’s huge ballroom to replace razed East WingSpeed Read The White House’s east wing is being torn down amid ballroom construction
-
Trump expands boat strikes to Pacific, killing 5 moreSpeed Read The US military destroyed two more alleged drug smuggling boats in international waters
-
Trump demands millions from his administrationSpeed Read The president has requested $230 million in compensation from the Justice Department for previous federal investigations
