GRAPEVINE, Texas — Vice President JD Vance captured the top spot in the Conservative Political Action Conference’s 2028 Republican presidential straw poll on Saturday, reinforcing his status as the early favorite among conservative activists gathered in Texas.
According to The Hill, Vance won support from about 53% of CPAC attendees who took part in the presidential preference survey. Secretary of State Marco Rubio finished second with 35%, showing a significant jump from his 3% showing in the same poll last year. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Donald Trump Jr. tied at 2%, while several other Republican figures, including Sens. Ted Cruz and Rand Paul, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, each drew 1%.
The annual CPAC straw poll is informal and not predictive on its own, but it is often used as a snapshot of where highly engaged conservative voters are lining up early in a presidential cycle. Vance’s strong showing suggests he remains closely identified with the MAGA movement and is still viewed by many activists as the clearest successor to President Donald Trump.
Rubio’s rise, however, points to a possible secondary lane within the party, especially as speculation grows over who will lead Republicans after Trump’s term ends.
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