Secretary of State Marco Rubio appeared to endorse Vice President JD Vance for the GOP presidential nomination in 2028.
During a Fox News interview, Rubio was asked about whether he is considering running for president in 2028.
“Well, I think JD Vance would be a great nominee. If he decides he wants to do that,” Rubio responded. “I think he's doing a great job as vice president. He's a close friend, and I hope he intends to do it. I know it's early, but being in the role that I'm here at the Secretary of State. I really don't play in politics.”
Rubio confirmed that he wishes to remain as secretary of state “as long as the president allows me to do it and stay in that job.”
I feel, honestly. You never know what the future holds. You never rule things out or anything like that, because you just don't know things change very quickly. But that said, I believe that if I am able to be here through the duration of this presidency and we get things done at the pace that we've been doing the last six months, I'll be able to look back at my time in public service and say, I made a difference, I had an impact, and I serve my country in a very positive way.
Marco Rubio thinks JD Vance would be a great President in 2028.
— AmericanPapaBear (@AmericaPapaBear) July 27, 2025
Will you vote for him?
pic.twitter.com/a69s6kKuLL
It’s still early, but indicators suggest Vance could become the favorite to secure the GOP nomination. One poll showed the vice president narrowly defeating several potential Democratic contenders in the next race.
The Emerson College poll found that Vance held a single-digit lead over three potential candidates: former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, California Governor Gavin Newsom, and New York Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
The poll surveyed 1,400 U.S. voters from July 21 to July 22, 2025, and had a margin of error of plus or minus 2.5 percentage points.
Of those three, Buttigieg was held to the tightest margin, with 44 percent backing Vance for president and 43 percent supporting Buttigieg. Buttigieg fueled speculation that he could run for president earlier this year when he announced he would opt out of running statewide in Michigan, where he has lived since his time in President Joe Biden's administration.
Newsom, who traveled to early-voting primary state South Carolina this summer, received 42 percent support against Vance's 45 percent, according to the poll.
Another poll showed that Vance is currently the favorite for the primaries among Republican voters.
The Emerson College Polling survey showed Vance receiving 46 percent support, with his closest competitors being Secretary of State Marco Rubio with 12 percent and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) with 9 percent. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who is an independent, followed with 5 percent, and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley received 2 percent apiece.
The other six listed names received 1 percent or less, while 17 percent of respondents said they were undecided and 4 percent said they prefer someone else not listed.
Of course, the next race is still three years away and much could change between now and then. Still, if the Trump administration performs well, there can be no doubt that Vance would be a strong contender for the nomination.