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The vice president JD Vance dismissed on Wednesday the idea of discussing presidential ambitions for 2028 when asked about a possible joint ticket with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, although he did not hold back his praise for his cabinet colleague: “I love Marco! I think he’s a great Secretary of State. He has become a very, very dear friend.”
The question arose in the context of statements made by President Donald Trump, who in October 2025 described a potential Vance-Rubio ticket as "unstoppable" and this Wednesday reiterated, according to CBS News, that Rubio is "someone who might join JD in some way" for the 2028 presidential elections.
Vance, however, was categorical in rejecting the topic: "There are few matters I want to talk about less than what position I will seek in a few years, when I’m enjoying myself and trying to do a good job in the role that the American people have already elected me to."
The vice president also appealed to what, according to him, any citizen would expect from their leaders: "If I were the American people, there are few things I would hate more than a person who has barely been in office for a year and a half and is already looking for a position in two and a half years. Let's do a good job now. We are doing it. We just have to keep going."
Vance concluded his response by emphasizing that both he and Rubio share that approach: "We are both very focused on addressing the concerns of the American people right now."
The statements come amid growing speculation about the Republican succession, fueled by the fact that Trump cannot run for a third term due to the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution.
This Wednesday, Trump himself indicated that Vance is "most likely" to be his apparent heir in the MAGA movement, although he stated that it is "too early" to discuss the matter.
The Republican internal race for 2028 shows divergent results depending on the methodology used. Vance dominates among the MAGA base: he garnered 53% in the CPAC poll from March 2026 compared to Rubio's 35%, and he has a 77% approval rating among Republicans versus 66% for his rival.
However, Rubio has significantly gained ground in general population surveys and among establishment donors. An AtlasIntel poll this month shows him leading with 45.4% compared to Vance's 29.6%.
At a meeting in Mar-a-Lago in February 2026, approximately 25 Republican donors leaned "almost unanimously" toward Rubio, with a ratio described as "80-20 in favor of Marco."
The dynamic between the two is one of implicit rivalry but public cordiality. Rubio has stated that Vance "would be a great candidate" if he decides to run, while Vance has asserted that Rubio "is not his rival."
The Kalshi prediction markets have placed Rubio as the favorite with a 19% probability, surpassing Vance with 18%, and more than 17 million dollars traded.
Trump, who this Wednesday also praised both officials, had described in October 2025 the potential Vance-Rubio ticket as "unstoppable," fueling speculation that, at least for now, neither seems willing to publicly engage with.
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