Administration

GOP circles see Rubio gaining ground on Vance with Trump

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by Amie Parnes - 05/13/26 7:12 PM ET

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by Amie Parnes - 05/13/26 7:12 PM ET

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Secretary of State Marco Rubio is gaining traction inside Republican circles amid growing chatter about who could emerge as the leading contender in the 2028 presidential race.

A poll out this week showed him outperforming Vice President Vance in a 2028 potential match-up.

A week earlier, Rubio delivered a well-received appearance at the White House briefing, showing he could handle a barrage of questions from the press corps, including about the war in Iran.

And there’s growing interest from President Trump himself about how Rubio and Vance are perceived inside the party.

Rubio has shown increasing comfort with the performative side of Trump-era politics — something allies say has helped him connect more organically with the president’s base.

On Tuesday, White House officials circulated photos of Rubio aboard Air Force One en route to China, wearing the same gray Nike tracksuit that became associated with Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro’s capture earlier this year.

“Secretary Rubio rocking the Nike Tech ‘Venezuela’ on Air Force One!” Steven Cheung, the White House communications director, wrote on the social platform X.

In the early jockeying with Vance, several Republicans said the signs increasingly point to Rubio having the edge — or at the very least winning the early conversation — and appearing to have Trump’s attention.

“Right now, it seems like Trump prefers Rubio, and that’s what his followers believe,” said Susan Del Percio, a veteran Republican strategist who does not support the president. “Right now, who do you see out front and center? It’s Rubio, and that’s not by coincidence.”

Del Percio said even as the war in Iran drags on, Rubio has been particularly skilled at threading the needle — championing Trump’s policies while choosing his moments carefully and avoiding the view that he is an extension of the president.

“What people want is confidence, and Vance is on short supply because he is seen as a cheerleader of the president, and yes, Rubio is seen as working at the pleasure of the president, but he also has a resume that shows his experience, and that’s where it becomes very problematic for Vance,” she said.

Del Percio pointed to this week’s AtlasIntel poll as proof of the dynamic. The survey revealed that 45.4 percent of 2,000 Americans polled backed Rubio, while 29.6 percent supported Vance. An additional 11.2 percent said they preferred Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R).

And while most presidents have firmly backed their vice presidents in previous election cycles, Trump has not offered a full-throated endorsement of Vance.

During a White House event on Monday, Trump only offered that Vance and Rubio would make a “perfect ticket” in 2028.

“I do believe that’s a dream team,” the president said. “That does not mean you have my endorsement under any circumstance. But you know … I think it sounds like a presidential candidate and vice presidential candidate.”

Behind the scenes, the Vance-or-Rubio question has been a frequent one, according to some Republicans. At events at Mar-a-Lago, the president’s home in Florida, Trump has taken the temperature of attendees in the room, asking who they prefer.

And at one recent dinner, one attendee told The Hill, many in the room — including a number of major donors — preferred the secretary of State.

“He was hearing from a number of people that they preferred Rubio,” the attendee told The Hill. “It wasn’t even close.”

In interviews, Rubio has maintained that he won’t run against Vance in 2028 and that the two men are friends and have great respect for one another.

“If JD Vance runs for president, he’s going to be our nominee, and I’ll be one of the first people to support him,” Rubio told Vanity Fair in an interview last year.

Some Trump allies say it is too early to assess what will happen and who the nominee will be in 2028. At the same time, Rubio’s exposure in recent months has given him a boost.

“Many in Washington have their time in the spotlight, but not all have been able to take advantage of it the way Rubio has,” said Brian Seitchik, a Republican strategist who worked on the Trump campaign in 2016.

Seitchik said Rubio has proven to be “a world-class communicator, making it clear what the president’s position is and a cogent case for why.”

That simple exposure alone, Seitchik said, “could pay dividends down the line.”

Still, Del Percio said while the conversation has revolved around Rubio in recent weeks, one thing remains certain in Trump’s orbit: It can’t overshadow the president himself.

“He needs to keep his head down and keep doing the work because he doesn’t want to be too high-profile,” Del Percio said. “It’s a fine line. You’re allowed to get really close to it, but you’