Camilla Jessen
Marco Rubio seems to have made up his mind.
While Trump remains in the White House, Republican insiders are already eyeing who will inherit the MAGA movement.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio seems to have made up his mind.
Rubio has privately expressed strong support for Vice President JD Vance as the frontrunner for the 2028 Republican presidential nomination, according to two people familiar with internal administration discussions.
As reported by Politico, Rubio has reportedly told allies that if Vance chooses to run, he will “do everything he can” to support him.
One source close to Rubio, granted anonymity to speak about private conversations, said, “Marco was very clear that JD would be the Republican nominee if he wanted to,” reinforcing that Rubio’s support isn’t just personal but also strategic.
A mutual understanding, for now
Despite early jockeying, Rubio and Vance are careful not to fuel any narratives of rivalry.
Both have publicly praised each other, with Trump himself often naming them as potential successors and even suggesting they might one day share the same ticket.
“Nobody expects Marco to resign from the Cabinet and start attacking the incumbent vice president,” said another source familiar with the administration’s internal dynamics. “Beyond that, they are friends.”
That friendship may help the party avoid a divisive primary, especially at a time when enthusiasm appears fragile without Trump directly on the ballot.
But a third source close to the White House noted a widely discussed scenario: “JD is expected to be [the nominee], and Rubio to be vice president.”
Polls and party fatigue
A Politico poll conducted in late October shows JD Vance leading among 2024 Trump voters for the 2028 race, with 35% naming him as their top choice.
Rubio, in contrast, was named by just 2%.
Still, the most telling figure may be the 28% who said they still want Trump himself to run in 2028.
Another 16% were undecided.
James Blair, Trump’s political director for the 2024 campaign, cautioned any 2028 hopefuls to focus first on the next midterm cycle.
Speaking to NBC’s Dasha Burns, Blair said, “If you’re a Republican who wants to run in 2028, you need to focus on keeping Republicans in power in 2026… Voters will find anyone who seems to be focused on themselves.”
Sources: Politico, Digi24.
This article is made and published by Camilla Jessen, who may have used AI in the preparation
