US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has emerged as the leading choice among Republicans and Republican-leaning independents for a potential vice-presidential role alongside JD Vance in the 2028 election, according to a new Daily Mail/YouGov poll.
Rubio received the support of 33 per cent of respondents asked who Vance should select as his running mate, placing him 20 percentage points ahead of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who secured 13 per cent.
The figures were even more pronounced among self-described supporters of the Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement.
In that group, 45 per cent selected Rubio. Among registered voters who said they would definitely vote, his support stood at 41 per cent.
However, the survey also highlighted considerable uncertainty over the potential ticket, with 34 per cent of respondents saying they did not know whom Vance should choose.
Other Republican Figures Receive Limited Support
Several other prominent Republican politicians attracted considerably less support in the poll.
Former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley received five per cent, while South Carolina Senator Tim Scott, former Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and Ohio gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy each recorded three per cent.
When respondents were asked who they expected Vance to select, rather than whom he should choose, Rubio again came first, receiving 22 per cent support among all Americans surveyed.
DeSantis followed with eight per cent.
More than half of respondents, 55 per cent, said they were unsure who Vance would eventually choose.
The poll’s running-mate questions were put to 385 Republicans and Republican-leaning independents as part of a broader YouGov survey involving 1,053 US adult citizens.
The survey was conducted between October 2 and October 5, with a margin of error of plus or minus 4.2 percentage points for the full sample.
DeSantis Previously Rejected the Idea of Being a Running Mate
Despite his position in the poll, DeSantis has repeatedly presented himself as a presidential candidate rather than someone seeking the vice-presidency.
Speaking to the Wisconsin Right Now podcast in July 2023, while competing against Donald Trump for the Republican presidential nomination, the Florida governor said he did not see himself as a number-two figure.
“I’m not a No. 2 guy. I think I’m a leader,” DeSantis said, adding that the vice-presidency “doesn’t really have any authority.”
Earlier that year, he told Newsmax that he was “probably more of an executive guy” when asked whether he would consider joining Trump on a presidential ticket.
In November 2023, DeSantis made his position even clearer, declaring that any future presidential ticket involving him would have him at the top.
“The only tickets that are in the future are with DeSantis at the top,” he said.
His presidential campaign ended in January 2024, when he withdrew from the Republican nomination contest and endorsed Trump.
DeSantis also rejected suggestions that he could become Trump’s running mate.
In January 2024, he said he would not accept the position under any circumstances, adding that he would prefer to complete his final two years as Florida governor.
His second gubernatorial term ends in January, leaving his future political plans open.
Haley and Scott Have Also Discussed Their Presidential Ambitions
Haley has similarly expressed reluctance about serving as vice-president.
In January 2024, while campaigning against Trump for the Republican nomination, the former South Carolina governor ruled out the possibility of joining another candidate’s ticket.
“I don’t want to be anybody’s vice president. That is off the table,” she said.
Scott also previously insisted that his presidential campaign was not an attempt to secure the second position on a ticket.
“I did not enter this race to come in second place. Second place is the first loser,” the South Carolina senator told Fox News during his 2023 presidential campaign.
However, his position appeared more flexible by June 2024, when he described the prospect of becoming Trump’s running mate as a “great honor.”
Scott is currently focused on his Senate career.
His campaign confirmed in March 2026 that he intends to seek re-election in 2028.
Rubio Has Backed Vance but Remains Noncommittal About His Own Future
Rubio has publicly expressed support for Vance as a potential Republican presidential nominee, saying he would be the first to support his friend if he decided to run.
However, the secretary of state has not disclosed whether he intends to pursue another political office.
Asked in May whether he wanted to become vice-president, Rubio responded that his immediate focus was his current position.
“I want to be the Secretary of State, and I’ll worry about the future in the future,” he said.
Gabbard, meanwhile, previously criticised the prospect of Rubio taking a prominent role in a Republican administration.
In 2024, the former director of national intelligence argued that his foreign policy positions would make him a mistake for the role under discussion.
Vance Continues to Avoid Committing to a 2028 Presidential Campaign
Vance has not announced a presidential bid for 2028 and has repeatedly declined to confirm whether he intends to seek the Republican nomination.
During a campaign stop in Alaska last week, the vice-president told Reuters that he had not spent much time considering the possibility.
“I’m inherently a procrastinator. I really haven’t thought about it much,” Vance said.
He has maintained that his immediate priority is helping Republicans in the November midterm elections rather than planning a presidential campaign.
Nevertheless, discussion of a potential Vance candidacy has continued among Republicans.
In September, Indiana Senator Jim Banks became the first sitting senator to endorse him for president.
Vance has also criticised potential rivals, recently accusing Texas Senator Ted Cruz of already running for president while saying he remained focused on the party’s midterm election efforts.
Although Rubio has not announced plans to join a 2028 presidential ticket, his public support for Vance has placed the two Republicans at the centre of early discussions about the party’s potential leadership after Trump.
