According to a new straw poll taken at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), Vice President JD Vance is the favorite to earn the Republican nomination for president in 2028. Vance earned support from about 53% of attendees who participated in the presidential preference poll at the annual gathering in Grapevine, Texas, according to New York Times reporter Kellen Browning.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio came in second with 35%, while Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Donald Trump Jr. tied in a distant third place with 2% each. Other contenders such as Ted Cruz, Rand Paul, Pete Hegseth, Tulsi Gabbard, and Greg Abbott each received 1% support.

The closely watched poll often serves as an early barometer for how GOP voters are leaning. Vance's name at the top indicates that conservative Republicans view him as best suited to succeed President Trump and advance the MAGA agenda. Last year, Vance led with 61% support among 1,022 CPAC attendees, followed by Steve Bannon with 12%. Rubio received only 3% support in 2025, a sign his stock is rising among Trump's core base.

Trump skipped CPAC this year, for the first time in a decade, amidst the war with Iran and pressure to tamp down surging oil and gas prices ahead of the midterm elections.

The outcome of Saturday’s straw poll was not unexpected, as Vance and Rubio have widely emerged as the expected GOP frontrunners heading into 2028, given that Trump is not eligible to run again. Vance has been seen as the heir apparent to Trump since becoming his running mate in 2024, but the president’s recent praise of Rubio’s diplomatic work has introduced fresh speculation over who may carry the party torch once Trump leaves office.

A Republican fundraiser told The Hill, "Trump knows this is playing in the backdrop, and he’s struggling with it." Vance has dismissed the notion that he and Rubio are rivals, telling Fox News host Sean Hannity in November: "I don’t feel like that at all." Rubio, for his part, said he would be "one of the first people to support" Vance if the vice president decided to run for the White House.