DENVER, Colorado — Secretary of State Marco Rubio dominated an early presidential straw poll at the Western Conservative Summit, though the small, self-selected survey offers only a limited snapshot of the 2028 Republican race.
Rubio received 57% support from more than 500 conference attendees, compared with 21% for Vice President JD Vance. Former Vice President Mike Pence finished third with 5%, followed by Rep. Thomas Massie and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis at 4% each.
Attendees could choose among 27 Republican and Democratic figures. On a separate approval question, Rubio received 85%, followed by Vance at 71% and DeSantis at 55%. Centennial Institute Director Greg Schaller said the results showed grassroots conservatives trusted Rubio’s commitment to “faith, family and freedom.”
Neither Rubio nor Vance has announced a 2028 campaign. Rubio previously said he would defer to Vance should the vice president seek the Republican nomination. Vance has indicated that he will discuss a possible campaign with his family after the November midterm elections.
President Donald Trump has not formally endorsed a successor, although he has repeatedly discussed the race and suggested that Vance and Rubio would make a formidable ticket.
The result reflects the preferences of conservative activists attending one Colorado conference, not Republican voters nationally. Recent broader polling has generally shown Vance leading the prospective GOP field, with Rubio emerging as his strongest potential rival.
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