Reuters: US VP Vance emerges as frontrunner for 2028 Republican presidential bid

At the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) held March 25–28 in Dallas, most participants expressed support for U.S. Vice President JD Vance as the preferred Republican candidate for the 2028 presidential election, according to Reuters.

The agency reports that Vance received backing from 53% of roughly 1,600 attendees. Secretary of State and National Security Advisor Marco Rubio came in second with 35% of the vote, while other potential candidates garnered no more than 2% each.

Notably, in 2025, 61% of CPAC participants viewed Vance as the Republican frontrunner, compared with just 3% for Rubio.

"CPAC, ​which is holding this year's event in Grapevine, Texas, draws heavily from the Republican Party's conservative wing. Its annual ​straw poll is not necessarily a reliable predictor of the eventual nominee," Reuters addded.