New one voting From the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) JD Vance Tops conservative voters’ priorities for the Republican Party’s 2028 presidential nominee. The Vice President received 53% support among attendees, maintaining his lead for the second consecutive year.
CPAC poll shows JD Vance in lead
The latest CPAC straw poll shows JD Vance Ahead with 53% support of conference participants. Secretary of State Marco Rubio came in second with 35%, while other potential candidates such as Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, Senator Ted Cruz, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Donald Trump Jr. recorded only single-digit support.
The results mark the second year in a row that the Vice President has won the CPAC Straw Poll. However, the 2026 numbers mark a change from last year’s survey, where Vance received 61% support while Rubio came in fourth with only 3% of the vote.
Rubio’s rise coincides with his expanded role in the Trump administration, where he has been one of its primary architects. President’s foreign policy Approach The straw poll surveyed grassroots activists who gathered outside Dallas for the annual conference, which President Donald Trump did not attend for the first time in a decade. A White House official attributed the president’s absence to his schedule, saying: “He is very busy managing the ongoing conflict in Iran and other important issues.”
Since the 2028 primary season is still about two years away from officially starting, political observers do not consider the results of the straw poll to be predictive of the final candidate. Still, the findings suggest a competitive landscape People within Trump’s orbit Prepare yourself to take the party movement forward.
Neither JD Vance nor Marco Rubio have announced 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 houses of Congress (via financial Times).
Originally reported by Devanshi Basu Mandatory