Marco Rubio overtakes JD Vance by shocking figure in new poll as 2028 momentum builds

A new Emerson College/The Hill poll suggests Secretary of State Marco Rubio has edged ahead of Vice President JD Vance in hypothetical 2028 presidential match-ups, outperforming him in three separate tests against leading Democratic contenders. The finding feeds into ongoing speculation about a rivalry between the two men to succeed Donald Trump, even as the White House and Trump himself insist the administration is united and that it is far too early to be discussing 2028 succession plans.

The survey of 1,000 registered voters, conducted 16-17 August with a three-point margin of error, found Rubio leading both Kamala Harris and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez by 48% to 43%, while Vance beat Ocasio-Cortez narrowly but trailed Harris by four points. Democrats Pete Buttigieg and Jon Ossoff performed strongest against both Republicans, with Ossoff leading Rubio by three points and Vance by five, while California Governor Gavin Newsom also outpolled both men. The Washington Post has reported that Trump privately told donors the party needs to "elect JD" in 2028, though publicly he has praised both men without endorsing either, and White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly dismissed talk of a rift as media-driven.