There’s just one figure in the country Democrats like more Santa Claus – and he too speaks often of bearing gifts.
U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont, a former Democrat-turned-independent who promised free healthcare, free college, and free preschool during his 2016 and 2020 campaigns for the presidency, is officially his party’s favorite old white man from the North.
Results from a poll by JL Partners conducted exclusively for the Daily Mail revealed that Democrats viewed Bernie Sanders as the most favorable political figure, with the ornery senator coming out on top with a net favorability of 65 points.
Santa’s net favorability was 59 points, lending Sanders a slight but noticeable advantage – especially around this time of year when Santa’s approval usually spikes.
Former Vice President Kamala Harris was seen favorably by the highest number of Democrats, 78 percent, but her higher unfavorable rating dropped her below Sanders to a net of 62 points.
JL Partners poll sampled 383 likely Democratic primary voters for the presidential primaries of 2028 between the 17th and 19th of December. The margin of error was 5 percent.
Among other Democrats, New York Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez led the pack with a net favorability of +46, followed by New Jersey Senator Cory Booker at +41, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz at +40, and California Governor Gavin Newsom at +37.
Further down the list, Illinois Governor JB Pritzker registered +23, former Texas Congressman Beto O’Rourke came in at +20, and Maryland Governor Wes Moore brought up the rear at +14.
Santa Claus participates in the Christmas Eve Water Skiing Santa Show on the Potomac River, with the US Capitol in the background, in Alexandria, Virginia, USA, 24 December 2025
Former Democrat and current independent Senator Bernie Sanders topped a list of favorite Democrat politicians in the latest poll by JL Partners conducted exclusively for the Daily Mail
JL Partners’ poll this year also revealed a number of fascinating results about how Americans view the holiday season and other Christmastime traditions.
Americans’ favorite Christmas song this year was revealed to ‘It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas,’ chosen by 26 percent of overall respondents, making it a rare point of agreement across party lines as 29 percent of Republicans and 27 percent of Democrats both selected it as their top choice.
The most irritating Christmas song was widely considered to be ‘Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer,’ disliked by 35 percent of respondents, with Republicans and Democrats united in their annoyance.
Former Vice President Kamala Harris ranked below Bernie Sanders in a list of the top Democrat politicians in the latest poll by JL Partners conducted exclusively for the Daily Mail
New York Congresswoman Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez ranked among the top Democrat politicians in the latest poll by JL Partners conducted exclusively for the Daily Mail
In terms of traditions people are ready to leave behind, ugly Christmas sweaters led the way at 22 percent, followed by Elf on the Shelf at 15 percent and matching family pajamas at 14 percent.
Meanwhile, the long-running debate over whether Die Hard is a Christmas movie leans toward ‘no,’ with 47 percent disagreeing compared to 37 percent agreeing.
Men were evenly split on the issue, while women more decisively rejected the idea by a 50 percent to 30 percent margin.
The current president was seen overall as the worst politician to sit next to at the holiday table, although Republicans, predictably instead name Biden as their least desirable seatmate.
Republicans said they would most like to sit next to Trump at Christmas dinner, while Democrats preferred Barack Obama and Kamala Harris.
