Secretary of State Marco Rubio is favoring Vice President J.D. Vance as the logical choice to be the GOP's presidential nominee in 2028, Politico reported. Rubio supposedly admitted this to his close confidants after President Donald Trump named Vance and Rubio as the two he believed could replace him.
Both of Trump's election victories came after a remarkable struggle that remade the Republican Party in his image. The question of who can fill his shoes is a crucial one, and politicians and pundits alike are already exploring the possibilities.
Those close to the matter noted that Rubio has been deferential to Vance as the potential nominee, as Trump has named both men as possible successors. "Marco has been very clear that JD is going to be the Republican nominee if he wants to be," a source close to Rubio said.
There is a running joke about the number of jobs Trump has bestowed on Rubio, with the role of Secretary of State being the most prestigious. He is a busy man who seems content to do his duty without seeking the spotlight, which is a trait that serves him well.
This was evidenced by a July 2025 interview Rubio had on Fox News with Lara Trump on her My View program. The president's daughter-in-law asked Rubio whether he had an eye towards possibilities "outside the State Department," which gave Rubio the opportunity to champion Vance's candidacy for president.
"I think J.D. Vance would be a great nominee, if he decides he wants to do that," Rubio said. The former U.S. senator from Florida ran for president in 2016 and lost in the primary to Donald Trump, which raises the question of whether he'd consider another run. However, it seems he thinks his time has come and gone.
"I think he’s doing a great job as vice president. He’s a close friend, and I hope he intends to do it," Rubio said of Vance. A clip of this exchange was shared to X, formerly Twitter, on July 27, 2o25.
Lara Trump: You are talked about quite frequently as a possible contender in 2028. Do you have your sights set outside of the state department?
Rubio: I think J.D. Vance would be a great nominee if he decides he wants to do that… pic.twitter.com/BAVjNRIzQ9
— Acyn (@Acyn) July 27, 2025
The relationship between Rubio and Vance seems strong and free from rivalry, and Politico's second source said that the two men get along well. "No one expects Marco to resign from the Cabinet and start taking potshots at the sitting vice president. Beyond that, they’re friends," the source, who also wished to remain anonymous, added.
Meanwhile, another person close to the matter said that the "expectation is J.D. as [nominee] and Rubio as VP," the third anonymous source said. This potential ticket is the most popular, as Vance is the leading choice of those who voted for Trump in 2024, a Politico poll conducted from October 18 to 21 found.
Of those asked, just 2% had Rubio as their first pick while 35% chose Vance. Notably, the open-ended question posed to participants captured a complete 28% who wished to see Trump run. Meanwhile, James Blair, who served as the political director for Trump's 2024 campaign and is now his deputy chief of staff, believes that the 2026 midterms could yield the strongest candidate for the 2028 presidential run.
"If you’re a Republican that wants to run in 2028 right now, you need to focus on keeping Republicans in power for 2026. I think the number one thing everybody can do is focus on the team and helping their team and not focus on themselves," Blair told Politico. "Voters will sniff out anybody who has seemed to be sort of focused on themselves," Blair added.
Vance and Rubio were known to have a close friendship while serving in the U.S. Senate, and it's clear they maintain a solid working relationship now. Republicans will need strong name recognition and actual accomplishments, and both men bring that to the table.
