JD Vance emerges as the likely successor to Donald Trump for the 2028 presidential bid, delivering a 'presidential' speech at a Republican convention, while Marco Rubio officially rules himself out of the race, stating he's focused on his current roles as Secretary of State and acting National Security Advisor.
Vice President JD Vance, 42, delivered a 40-minute address at the Republican midterms convention in Dallas, widely seen as a presidential nominating speech, earning chants of '48!' from the MAGA crowd and praise from President Donald Trump. Vance's appearance at the 9/11 anniversary event further solidified his public profile. In contrast, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, 55, was absent from the convention, instead touring South America where he publicly stated he has no plans to run for president in 2028, citing his focus on his two jobs. An insider suggests Rubio enjoys his current roles and might consider a run in 2032 or 2036. Rubio previously sought the Republican nomination in 2016 and briefly gained popularity after the Venezuela operation. While Trump has not publicly endorsed a successor, he has reportedly told donors, 'At the end of the day, we need to elect JD.' Other potential Republican candidates include Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Texas Sen. Ted Cruz. On the Democratic side, former VP Kamala Harris, California Gov. Gavin Newsom, New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and Georgia Sen. Jon Ossoff are mentioned. The article also touches on the upcoming midterms, Trump's unpopular war, and his controversial promises of $5,000 checks to voters.
