Though President Donald Trump refused to name JD Vance as his successor despite accepting that he is very capable, Republicans think it is inevitable that Vance will be the GOP nominee in 2028. President’s son Donald Trump Jr is ‘over the moon’ with Vance’s performance so far, Axios reported, as Vance was his recommendation to his father as the running mate.
Vance has impressed the financial moguls in Trump’s orbit and also has an edge in fundraising as he has now picked up a side gig in the party as the finance chair of the Republican National Committee. Insiders believe that if the party over-performs in 2026 and he remains in the good book of the President, he would be the sure-fire choice for 2028.
“The idea that Vance is not going to be the Republican nominee in 2028 is absurd,” Republican strategist Dennis Lennox told the New York Post adding that holding primaries will only waste time and money. “The RNC might as well cancel the 2028 primaries and caucuses at this point.”
Vance could possibly face Mike Pompeo, Nikki Haley in primaries and Democrats like California Gov. Gavin Newsom, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro in the general election.
“I think it’s inevitable at this point that Vance will be the [GOP] nominee in 2028,” Sen. Jim Banks (R-Indiana), a close Trump ally, told Axios. “He’s the future of the America First movement and he’s already proven himself.”
Vance is being seen as the brainy version of MAGA
Vance’s approval rating declined after his dressing down to Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelenskyy but his currency in the part is on the rise. A section of the party sees the Yale-educated, best-seller author VP as the brainy version of MAGA who himself composed 20-paragraph posts on X, Axios analysis said.
