Why JD Vance (and Maybe Rubio) Are the Only Real GOP Options for 2028

The Hill thinks it has a handle on the GOP’s 2028 contenders. Let me save them (and everyone else) some time. With Trump finishing out his second term, Republicans should be thinking carefully about who carries the torch. The list floating around is mostly a lineup of thanks, but no thanks. The only serious contenders are JD Vance and probably Marco Rubio. The rest? Let’s walk through the rogues’ gallery.

Right off the bat, I nearly spewed coffee all over my laptop when I read Don Jr’s name at the top of The Hill’s list. At least they had JD Vance at the number 1 spot, as it should be.

BREAKING: President Trump all-but clears the GOP 2028 presidential primary field, says JD VANCE is LIKELY the favorite.

DOOCY: Do you agree the heir apparent to MAGA is JD VANCE?

TRUMP: “I think MOST LIKELY. He’s the VP. Marco maybe would get together with JD…We have… pic.twitter.com/WL8QzqDAjq

— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) August 5, 2025

Donald Trump Jr. — Stick to MAGA Merch, Not the White House

Don Jr. has the last name, the energy, and the firebrand style online. Putting him at the top of the ticket would be like handing the keys of a high-performance luxury car to a teenager. Flashy on the outside, but a guaranteed wreck waiting to happen. He often comes across like a political used car salesman, revving up the crowd but not offering much under the hood. Don Jr. is better suited to managing the MAGA merchandise empire, podcasts, and rallies than managing the Oval Office. The GOP does not need a dynasty heir.

Ron DeSantis — A Strong Governor, But Burned Too Early

Ron DeSantis still has plenty of admirers, and with good reason. He runs Florida well, and his fight on immigration and education made him a national name. On paper, he would be a strong presidential contender. The problem is timing. DeSantis jumped into the 2024 which in my opinion was too soon, and that campaign left him bruised and diminished. He never recovered from being cast as the guy who thought he could take on Trump and fell short. It doesn’t erase his accomplishments in Florida, but it does make him a harder sell nationally.

Tom Cotton — Still Fighting the Last War

Number 3 on The Hill’s list is Tom Cotton. Sure, he’s tough and sharp. He’s also stuck in 2003. He talks like the Bush years never ended, with a hawkish foreign policy that would drag America right back into endless wars. The base doesn’t want that — they want America First, not America Everywhere. Cotton’s résumé shines on paper, but on the campaign trail he’s a relic. We can respect his service and still say: no, thank you.

Sen. Tom Cotton’s decision to take a pass on the 2024 race for the GOP nomination looks wise in retrospect.

Trump would almost certainly have been the victor whomever he ran against — and Cotton’s image with the MAGA faithful has not been besmirched by any perceived disloyalty.

Cotton, an Army veteran who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, has a sure touch for the kind of political positioning that has a visceral appeal for many Republican voters.

One recent example is his insistence that former special counsel Jack Smith should be investigated for — in Cotton’s view — improperly seeking to influence the 2024 election by his criminal probes of Trump. Smith, through his lawyers, has emphatically denied this.

Cotton is a strong speaker and media performer, with a more hawkish view of foreign affairs than Vance.

He would be an immediate top-tier contender if he runs in 2028.

Ted Cruz — Missing in Action

Ted Cruz built his reputation on being a sharp debater and a fiery conservative voice, but lately he has been more of a political ghost. Where has he even been? Once a rising star, Cruz has slipped so far into the background that most voters barely register him anymore. Like too many senators these days, he treats hearings like a stage for viral moments, tossing out soundbites to get his face on the news instead of moving the ball down the field. Cruz has the vibe of the guy who always raises his hand in class but never gets invited to sit at the cool kids’ table. Conservative to the core, yes, but not the one to inspire confidence or unify the GOP heading into 2028.

Hawley, Greene, and Scott — Not the Right Fit for 2028

Josh Hawley likes to brand himself as the Senate’s working-class warrior, railing against Big Tech and Wall Street. The problem is that it often feels more like theater than substance. He is young and has time to grow, but 2028 is not his moment.

When Marjorie Taylor Greene’s name appears on these lists, it sparks strong reactions. Many on the Right dislike her, but the truth is, she is unapologetically America First and backs it up with her record. She has a role to play in the movement, and she plays it well. But she is not presidential material, and she probably does not even want the job. Greene belongs in Congress, where the real fight is and where her fire does the most good.

And that idiotic comment about Israeli forces committing ‘genocide’ in Gaza was flat-out disgraceful, and even many of her usual supporters could not back her up on it. I think The Hill wants her as a candidate, just as we want Jazzy Jasmine Crockett as a candidate for the Democrats.

Tim Scott rounds out the trio. He is affable, well liked, and impossible to dislike personally. And yes, sometimes presidential races are popularity contests. But after Trump, Scott comes across as simply too mellow. The GOP base has grown used to a fighter who throws punches, not a senator who glides through with a smile. Scott already tried once and could not catch fire. Nothing has changed since then. He is a solid senator, but not the leader to carry the party forward.

The Choice is Clear

At the end of the day, the GOP cannot afford to gamble in 2028. Marco Rubio has been a strong Secretary of State, and maybe that is where he should stay. He is capable and reliable, but the presidency calls for something else. JD Vance is different. He embodies the future of the America First movement. He connects with the working class, understands the pro-America agenda, and is unapologetic about putting this country first. Vance has the energy, the credibility, and the fire to carry Trump’s legacy forward. If Republicans want to win after Trump, it has to be JD Vance.

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