A new poll from the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) has JD Vance at the top of conservative voters’ preferences for the Republican Party’s 2028 presidential nominee. The vice-president secured 53% support among attendees, maintaining his lead for the second consecutive year.
CPAC poll shows JD Vance is in lead
The latest CPAC straw poll shows JD Vance ahead with 53% backing from conference participants. Secretary of State Marco Rubio followed as a distant second with 35%, while other potential candidates such as Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, Senator Ted Cruz, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and Donald Trump Jr. each registered only single-digit support.
The results are the second consecutive year that the Vice President has won the CPAC straw poll. However, the 2026 numbers reflect a shift from the previous year’s survey, where Vance commanded 61% support while Rubio trailed in fourth place with just 3% of the vote.
Rubio’s surge coincides with his expanded role in the Trump administration, where he has been one of the primary architects of the president’s foreign policy approach. The straw poll surveyed grassroots activists who gathered outside Dallas for the annual conference, which President Donald Trump skipped for the first time in a decade. A White House official attributed the president’s absence to his schedule, stating: “He is heavily engaged in the ongoing Iran conflict and managing other critical issues.”
As nearly two years remain before the 2028 primary season officially begins, political observers do not consider the straw poll results predictive of the eventual nominee. Nevertheless, the findings suggest a competitive scene as people within Trump’s orbit position themselves to carry forward the party’s movement.
Neither JD Vance nor Marco Rubio has declared a candidacy for 2028, nor have they ruled out a bid. Political announcements are not expected until after the November midterm elections, when Republicans aim to retain control of both chambers of Congress (via Financial Times).
Originally reported by Devanshi Basu on Mandatory