Khaberni - The battle to succeed U.S. President Donald Trump has commenced early, in light of the secret leaks emerging from U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio about the candidate most likely to win the Republican Party nomination for 2028.
These secret statements are seen as a clear example of some Republicans' readiness to engage in the post-Trump succession battle, less than a year after his assumption of the U.S. presidency.
A person close to Rubio said, "Marco was very clear about that," indicating that Rubio expressed this opinion both secretly and publicly, according to "Politico" magazine, where he affirmed that Vice President JD Vance is the closest candidate to succeed Trump, and that he personally supports this nomination.
The person close to Rubio, who refused to reveal his identity, added: "He will do everything in his power to support the Vice President in this endeavor."
In the past, Trump repeatedly mentioned that Vance and Rubio are the most likely candidates to succeed him, even suggesting last week that they should run on the same ticket.
Most Likely to Succeed
Vance is the most likely candidate among those who voted for Trump in the 2024 elections, according to a new poll conducted by "Politico" magazine from October 18 to 21. Thirty-five percent say he is the most suitable person for the 2028 elections. In contrast, only 2% nominated someone else, while 28% chose Trump.
While choosing Vance/Rubio could help cement their status as chosen successors to Trump, the polls show the immense amount of work they will need to do with voters, who either are not considering either of them or prefer the current president for a third term, which is not possible according to the U.S. Constitution, which prevents Trump from running altogether, as he has won the presidency twice, even if not consecutively.
Election Day Defeat
The issue of succession gains special importance, following the election results on Tuesday, where the Republican party's performance was weak, sparking widespread concern that the Republicans, without Trump himself, would not be able to generate enough enthusiasm to win.
James Blair, the political director for Trump's 2024 presidential campaign, advised any candidate for 2028 to first consider the midterm elections.
He said, if you are a Republican and wish to run for the 2028 elections now, you should focus on maintaining Republicans in power until 2026.
A former employee from Rubio's 2016 presidential campaign said he "would not be surprised" if the secretary was open to running with Vance on the same ticket, especially given how focused he has been on advancing policy since his loss nearly a decade ago.
Last week, Vance said he "joked" about running with Rubio on the same electoral ticket for 2028, but it is too early to assert that. Vance confirmed in the "Pod Force One" podcast, with the "New York Post," there would be "no tension" about who would top the list of candidates, describing Rubio in the "Post" podcast as "his best friend in the administration."
