Vice President JD Vance emerged as the preferred candidate in this year’s Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) straw poll for the 2028 Republican presidential nomination. Over 1,600 attendees participated, with approximately 53% casting their vote for Vance. Secretary of State Marco Rubio secured second place, earning 35% of the votes at the event held in Grapevine, Texas.
CPAC is a major annual gathering that attracts Republican lawmakers, activists, and presidential hopefuls, primarily representing the party’s conservative faction. While the straw poll is not a definitive indicator of the eventual nominee, it provides insight into the current enthusiasm among supporters of former President Donald Trump’s Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement. Notably, Trump, who is serving his second term, is ineligible to run in 2028.
Paul Empson, a 58-year-old accountant and evangelical Christian from Fort Worth, Texas, explained his support for Vance, highlighting the vice president’s alignment with the MAGA agenda and his open expression of Christian faith. “Initially, I was uncertain about him due to his inexperience, but after observing his actions, I see him as genuine and committed to publicly proclaiming his faith in Jesus Christ,” Empson said.
At last year’s CPAC in Oxon Hill, Maryland, Vance also led the straw poll with 61%, followed by conservative podcaster and former Trump adviser Steve Bannon at 12%, and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis at 7%. Rubio’s share has grown significantly since then, rising from 3% last year to 35% this year, partly due to his prominent role in foreign policy matters involving Venezuela and Iran.
No other candidates besides Vance and Rubio garnered more than 2% of the vote. Several attendees expressed interest in seeing Vance and Rubio run together on the ticket. James Schaare, a 61-year-old political activist from Euless, Texas, favored Rubio slightly, praising his consistent conservative stance and his heartfelt speech at the memorial for conservative activist Charlie Kirk, who was fatally shot in September. Schaare remarked, “He sounded like a pastor preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ. Rubio has done a phenomenal job as Secretary of State.”
Carol Kurpiel, 79, who traveled from the Atlanta area to attend CPAC, also voiced support for Rubio as the 2028 nominee. She described him as strong, direct, and energetic, comparing his style to Trump’s relentless approach. “I admire the strength I see in him and the way he communicates with the people,” Kurpiel said.
