Who do Republicans want as their 2028 nominee? Poll finds another Trump near top of list
Could another Trump be at the top of the presidential ticket in 2028?
While the 22nd Amendment would block President Donald Trump from the Republican nomination in less than four years, a new poll found his son Donald Trump, Jr. is near the top of the list of potential Republican candidates.
However, Vice President J.D. Vance was the favorite in the McLaughlin & Associates poll released Jan. 28.
The poll was conducted between Jan. 22 and Jan. 27 and surveyed 453 Republicans. The margin of error was 3.1%.
J.D. Vance
Twenty-seven percent of those polled said they would vote for Vance if the primary election to choose the party’s presidential candidate were today.
Shortly after taking office in the second-highest position in the nation, Vance was asked if he eyed the Oval Office in 2028.
“We’ll see what happens come 2028,” Vance said in an interview with Fox News on Feb. 2.
If he decides to run for president, it would be his first time seeking the seat.
Donald Trump, Jr.
Trump, Jr. trailed behind Vance at 21%, according to the poll.
The president’s eldest son’s political career has been short, and he has never run for public office. The 47-year-old was elected as a Republican National Convention delegate in New York in 2016, where he cast a nominating vote for his father’s first run at the White House, Ballotpedia reported.
Trump, Jr. also served on President Trump’s transition team after his first election, according to Ballotpedia. He has also spoken at several rallies and events for his father during his three campaigns.
Despite his public presence in the current Trump Administration, Axios formerly described Trump, Jr. as the “behind-the-scenes power broker in GOP politics.”
Other potential candidates
Among others who received a small percentage of support were former Republican candidates who did not gain traction against President Trump in the 2024 primary.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis got the support of 8% of the Republicans polled, while Nikki Haley, Vivek Ramaswamy and Tim Scott had under 3% of respondents say they would cast their vote for them to be the Republican presidential nominee.
Other candidates who made the poll’s shortlist include Secretary of State Marco Rubio, former U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott.
Twenty-four percent of respondents said they were undecided based on the list of potential Republican candidates included in the poll.
This story was originally published February 3, 2025 at 3:40 PM with the headline "Who do Republicans want as their 2028 nominee? Poll finds another Trump near top of list."
