Grassroots conservatives have thrown their weight behind Vice President JD Vance as the frontrunner for the 2028 GOP presidential nomination.
Vance secured a staggering 84.2% of support in a straw poll conducted at Turning Point USA’s AmericaFest in Phoenix, dwarfing other potential contenders like Marco Rubio at 4.8% and Ron DeSantis at 2.9%, the New York Post reported.
That number eclipses the 82.6% President Trump garnered in a similar poll two years ago for the 2024 race. It’s a testament to Vance’s growing influence among activists hungry for continuity in the fight against progressive overreach.
Blake Neff, producer of the “Charlie Kirk Show,” captured the magnitude of this result with precision. “JD Vance won the 2028 nomination straw poll by more than Donald Trump won the 2024 one we did two years ago,” Neff posted on X, highlighting a shift in momentum.
That’s no small feat when you consider Trump’s enduring popularity among the base. Vance, as the final high-profile speaker at AmericaFest, seems to have cemented his place as the heir to a movement skeptical of establishment games.
Turning Point USA CEO Erika Kirk didn’t hold back, offering what many saw as a tacit endorsement of Vance for the 48th presidency during the event. Her words carried weight with a crowd already primed to see Vance as the next standard-bearer.
Despite the buzz, Vance himself played down the 2028 chatter during an interview on Fox News’ “Hannity.” He stressed a commitment to near-term victories, saying, “We’re going to win the midterms. We’re going to do everything that we can to win the midterms.”
Only after that, he added, would he sit down with President Trump to discuss the future. It’s a pragmatic stance that keeps the focus on delivering results over speculative ambition.
Still, Vance couldn’t resist a sharp jab at potential Democratic rivals during his AmericaFest speech on Sunday. He painted a grim picture of their leadership, noting, “Democrats are already talking about 2028, and it looks like they’re going to nominate a California liberal who’s presided over rolling blackouts, open borders, and unchecked violent gangs.”
The poll also revealed what drives this crowd, with 60% citing Trump’s border security measures as his top achievement. Another 22.2% pointed to the mass deportation efforts, showing a base fixated on restoring control over immigration policy.
A striking 89.5% supported a complete halt to immigration, reflecting deep frustration with porous borders and lax enforcement. It’s a loud message to any politician hoping to court this faction in the coming years.
Looking ahead, 63.9% of respondents emphasized winning the midterms as the conservative movement’s primary goal. That focus suggests a pragmatic streak, prioritizing power in Congress over long-term presidential dreams.
Trump’s cabinet also drew scrutiny in the poll, with Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. earning a near-perfect 96.8% approval rating. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth followed closely at 94.7%, showing strong backing for unconventional picks who challenge the status quo.
Attorney General Pam Bondi, however, faced headwinds, with 29% expressing disapproval, the highest among cabinet members. That dissent hints at unease with some of Trump’s choices, even among loyal supporters.
As for Vance, his path forward looks promising, though not without hurdles from within the GOP, where figures like Sen. Rand Paul push for a more libertarian tilt. Yet with grassroots energy firmly behind him, Vance stands as a formidable force in shaping the party’s future, provided he keeps delivering on the issues that ignited this support.