Marco Rubio ‘gaining the upper hand’ over JD Vance in 2028 GOP race: Report
WASHINGTON, DC: Secretary of State Marco Rubio is reportedly emerging as a stronger player in early conversations about the 2028 Republican presidential race, with some GOP insiders now viewing him as a serious rival to Vice President JD Vance.
The growing chatter comes after a recent Rubio video promoting a “hopeful vision of America” went viral and fueled speculation that the secretary of state may already be positioning himself for a future White House run.
The Washington Post reported there is now a growing sense inside Republican circles that Rubio is “gaining the upper hand” in what many already see as a quiet 2028 battle inside Trump’s political world.
Marco Rubio’s viral video sparks fresh 2028 speculation
Attention around Rubio intensified after a clip of him answering a question from a Christian television network spread widely online.
Rubio’s social media team reportedly edited the video with dramatic music and images of President Donald Trump and former President Ronald Reagan, giving it the feel of a campaign-style ad.
The clip gained even more traction after Elon Musk shared it on social media.
Some Republican strategists immediately began comparing the video to the kind of rollout often seen before presidential campaigns.
“Are we going to pretend like that’s not a presidential candidate?” GOP strategist Josh Holmes said during an episode of the conservative 'Ruthless' podcast after playing the clip.
“It’s kind of hard to ignore, at some point, that this guy is becoming a thing, that he’s larger than maybe even this administration had conceived of,” Holmes added.
The video also reminded some Republicans of Rubio’s 2016 presidential campaign launch, though that White House bid ultimately failed.
JD Vance still seen as strong favorite inside GOP circles
Despite the growing attention around Rubio, Vice President JD Vance is still widely viewed as one of the strongest potential Republican candidates for 2028.
Podcast co-host John Ashbrook said Vance would be “very hard to beat” if he enters the race.
“But the reality is there’s a race on,” Ashbrook added.
Vance has spent much of the year building relationships with major Republican donors while aggressively fundraising ahead of the midterm elections.
This week, he also visited Iowa, a state seen as a major testing ground for future presidential hopefuls.
According to the report, Vance has also raised his profile through national security and government work inside the administration.
He reportedly helped lead Iran peace negotiations in Pakistan earlier this year and currently oversees a high-profile task force focused on rooting out fraud in federal programs.
Republicans divided over who carries Donald Trump’s legacy forward
The early debate inside Republican circles appears to center largely around which candidate is best positioned to carry Trump’s political movement into the future.
Conservative radio host Steve Deace praised Vance after recently meeting with him in Iowa.
“He’s the most effective messenger since Reagan,” Deace said.
Deace also argued that Vance may have a stronger connection to Trump’s political base.
“I think Vance is a better standard bearer, because he’s more directly tied to Trump’s base and carrying on that legacy,” he told The Washington Post.
Still, Deace made clear he also sees Rubio as a strong option for Republicans moving forward.
“My preference would be Vance-Rubio. But if it’s the other way around, that’s not a terrible consolation prize,” he said.
Trump himself has not officially backed a successor for 2028, though he previously suggested that a future Vance-Rubio Republican ticket would be “formidable.”
The White House later released a statement praising Rubio following the report, though it did not directly address the growing speculation surrounding the possible 2028 rivalry.
