Predictions about the 2028 presidential election are still in the early stages, but the field is beginning to take shape with two key players already standing out as the GOP prepares to govern in the post-Trump era.
The two current — and perhaps most obvious — frontrunners are Vice President J.D. Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Both have accomplishments, and recently expanded resumes, to hang their hats on.
Both also have completely fallen in line behind Trump and appeal to the coalition that dramatically delivered him the White House twice.
An Axios report that was published on Monday pointed out that “Trump has mentioned Vice President Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio as possible successors, and they’re widely seen as the early favorites for the 2028 nomination.”
The article also highlighted how “Vance has been using his perch as finance chair of the Republican National Committee to make inroads with donors, and has been crisscrossing the country raising money for the party.”
Despite this advantage, it remains very early in the process, so anything can happen. Back in 2013, not many would have imagined Trump would become the nominee in 2016. Things can radically change at the drop of a hat. Just ask Hillary Clinton.
That being said, any lineup of lawmakers or business leaders on the GOP side is likely to have an advantage over Democrats, who still lack leadership at the national level.
Many of their congressional options are either too old, or don’t have broad appeal, while their governor picks — such as California Gov. Gavin Newsom — have pushed too far to the left to win key swing states.
Do you generally like the MAGA Republicans slated to succeed Trump?
Vance seems the likely successor given his proximity to Trump, but Rubio has been around since the Tea Party days and seems to be delivering big wins on foreign policy for the president.
In addition, more moderate figures like Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin or someone like Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul may end up making noise if they can appeal to fiscally conscious voters, perhaps earning them a seat at the table.
The commander-in-chief, however, must stay focused on the agenda at hand. He can play kingmaker later. Trump can even explore setting up one of his children in politics.
Whether it be daughter-in-law Lara as a member of the Senate from North Carolina come next November, or Don Jr. making a run at the big prize, the president is bound to play a huge role in shaping what happens in 2026, 2028, and beyond.
For now, he must be vigilant of political power plays, especially given what happened between him and billionaire Elon Musk.
As has always been the case with Trump, the only person he can rely on to deliver what he wants is himself.
His war chest, reportedly worth $1.4 billion so far, according to Fox News, is quite impressive and can be used during the midterms to help keep Congress in Republican hands.
Yet too much talk of the future distracts from the present. With all that Trump has on his plate, he’d be best served by running the country and letting those around him jockey for position, while secretly praying for his endorsement.
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