10
Loading video...
By Andrew Stanton, Leonardo Feldman, and Gabe Whisnant
0
Share
Newsweek is a Trust Project member
See more of our trusted coverage when you search.Prefer Newsweek on Googleto see more of our trusted coverage when you search.
Vice President JD Vance on Wednesday dismissed talk of a potential 2028 election ticket with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, saying it is among “the few topics” he has little interest in discussing.
The remarks come days after President Donald Trump publicly floated the pairing as a “dream team,” fueling early speculation about future Republican candidates. Vance’s response signals an effort to downplay premature campaign positioning even as attention grows around possible successors and ticket combinations.
The 2028 Republican primary could pit two of the most visible members of the Trump administration against each other to win the party's nomination.
Read More on Politics
Asked about Trump’s comments, Vance told Newsweek during a news conference at the White House that Americans would likely view unfavorably “someone who’s barely been in one office for a year and a half angling for a job two and a half years down the road,” adding, “There are few topics I want to talk about less.”
Why It Matters
Although the 2028 primary elections are still more than two years out, discussion about which Republicans could succeed Trump has already begun, with Vance and Rubio, two members of the administration, drawing speculation about a potential political run. Early positioning is critical for successful campaigns, as it gives them the opportunity to build a fundraising base and name recognition, and to establish their political brand as voters begin tuning into the primaries.
What Did Donald Trump Say About a Vance–Rubio ‘Dream Team’ 2028 Election Ticket?
Trump on Monday polled a crowd at the White House Rose Garden during a dinner honoring law enforcement about Vance and Rubio as candidates for the Republican primary.
"Who likes JD Vance?" Trump asked the audience, which proceeded to cheer. "Who likes Marco Rubio?" he followed up. The crowd also applauded.
"Sounds like a good ticket ... that was a perfect ticket. By the way, I do believe that's a dream team, but these are minor details," Trump added.
While speaking to the crowd, Trump added, while looking at Vance, "That does not mean you have my endorsement, under any circumstance. I think it sounds like presidential candidate and vice presidential candidate."
Who Are the Top Republican Candidates for 2028
No major candidates have announced plans to run in 2026. Typically, major candidates do not begin announcing their campaigns until after the midterm elections, so candidates are likely to begin announcing as soon as early next year. But potential candidates may be laying the groundwork with donors and establishing name recognition among the GOP base in the meantime.
Trump is ineligible to run again due to term limits, so 2028 is going to be an open race.
Vance has largely avoided discussing whether he plans to run for president, but he would be a formidable candidate as he is well known among the electorate and has ties to MAGA, which remains a powerful movement in the Republican Party. Rubio, who ran for president in 2016, has also remained mum about plans for 2028.
...
Several other people, including DeSantis, who ran in 2024, Donald Trump Jr., conservative pundit Tucker Carlson, Texas Senator Ted Cruz and Kentucky Senator Rand Paul have been floated as potential Republican presidential candidates in 2028.
The Democratic primary has the potential to be even more crowded, with dozens of names being proposed as potential candidates, including former Vice President Kamala Harris, California Governor Gavin Newsom, Representative Alexandria-Ocasio-Cortez and former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.
2028 Election Poll: JD Vance vs Marco Rubio
A new poll from AtlasIntel, ranked the most accurate polling company of the 2024 election by survey veteran Nate Silver, provided an early look at how Vance, Rubio and other Republican frontrunners stand ahead of the 2028 Republican primary.
- Marco Rubio: 45.4 percent
- JD Vance: 29.6 percent
- Florida Governor Ron DeSantis: 11.2 percent
- Vivek Ramaswamy: 1.4 percent
- Texas Governor Greg Abbott: 0.7 percent
- South Carolina Senator Tim Scott: 0.7 percent
- Georgia Governor Brian Kemp: 0.4 percent
- Donald Trump Jr.: 0.4 percent
The poll surveyed 2,069 Americans from May 4-7, 2026, and had a margin of error of plus or minus 2 percentage points.
These early polls matter, as a strong showing helps candidates with fundraising and media attention. On the Democratic side, the AtlasIntel poll gave Ocasio-Cortez a lead with 26 percent support.
2028 Election Odds: What Prediction Markets Say About JD Vance, Marco Rubio
Prediction markets have long favored Vance to win the Republican nomination, but Rubio has steadily seen his chances increase over the past few years. As of 4 p.m. ET on Wednesday, Vance had a 35 percent chance of winning the nomination, compared to Rubio's 30 percent, Carlson's 6 percent, Trump Jr.'s 5 percent and DeSantis' 4 percent on Kalshi.
On Polymarket, Vance had a 37 percent chance, while Rubio had a 25 percent chance on Wednesday. Carlson had a 6 percent chance, compared to DeSantis' 4 percent and Trump Jr.'s 2 percent.
Prediction markets allow traders to buy and sell contracts tied to political outcomes and current events, aggregating real‑money wagers into probability estimates.
Prices fluctuate as traders react to polling, fundraising, candidate developments and broader political trends. They measure trader sentiment at a given moment but do not always accurately predict the future.
View 0 Comments
Submit Correction
View Editorial & AI Guidelines