Barack Obama's shadow looms large over the Democratic Party's path to the 2028 presidential election. A recent June CNN poll found that 96% of Democrats view the former president favorably, a stark contrast to the 71% who said the same of Joe Biden. This nearly universal approval positions him as a powerful, if unspoken, arbiter in the party's future.
His de facto leadership was on full display last month when top Democratic prospects, including California Governor Gavin Newsom, journeyed to Chicago on June 19. They gathered to celebrate the new Obama Presidential Center, a pilgrimage that underscored his enduring sway. Newsom told reporters he "literally started tearing up" while touring the center, capturing the deep nostalgia many feel for the Obama era.
The numbers reveal the depth of his appeal. A University of Massachusetts Lowell/YouGov poll even rated Obama more popular than pop star Taylor Swift. This personal popularity translates into political clout: several Democrats in tough primary races, including Florida Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, now regularly feature Obama in their ads and videos despite having had fraught relationships with him at times.