Last week, we looked at the crowded field of frontrunners in the Democratic Party heading into the 2028 presidential election. But who is leading the pack of potential candidates for the GOP? Here is a deep dive into who may represent the Republicans in the next election cycle.

Vice President JD Vance

The vice president is typically the heir apparent to the presidency. As such, JD Vance is widely recognized as the future leader of the Trump MAGA movement. Although Trump has been hesitant to crown Vance as his successor, the vice president has been the clear right-hand man for the president since taking office.

Additionally, Vance has the upper hand in working with the Senate and winning over those votes due to his experience representing the state of Ohio as a senator. Vance has also been involved in a number of important issues facing the Trump administration. For instance, Trump has been visible on the world stage, representing the U.S. at the Munich Security Conference, a summit on artificial intelligence in Paris, and more.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio

Secretary of State Marco Rubio's name has also picked up steam as being a leading candidate to replace Trump. As both the secretary of state and a former senator from the state of Florida, Rubio has plentiful experience in both domestic and global policy.

The 54-year-old son of Cuban immigrants served as a ranking member of the Senate Intelligence Committee while on Capitol Hill. He has earned a solid reputation with Latino voters, making him attractive to GOP leaders looking to win over this key demographic. While Rubio and Trump have appeared to work well together in their current capacities, the two have often butted heads. Rubio had also been in the running to serve as Trump's vice presidential running mate last year.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is another former political adversary of Trump who could make a run for the White House in 2028. DeSantis had once been seen as the front-runner to take the GOP nomination in 2024.

Prior to taking over the governorship of the Sunshine State, the 46-year-old served three terms as a U.S. congressman. DeSantis rose to national prominence for his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic in Florida, encouraging local officials to give more freedom to Floridians.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem

Leading the list of potential female contenders is Home Security Secretary Kristi Noem. The former governor of South Dakota has climbed the ranks of the MAGA movement in recent years. Like DeSantis, she used her governorship role to earn a reputation for leading a state with few COVID-19 restrictions.

Noem is also known for her extreme conservative polices. For example, while governor, she supported a law that restricted abortion even in cases of rape and incest. She also signed a law that banned surgical and non-surgical gender-affirming care for minors.

Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin

Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin gained national prominence when he defeated former Gov. Terry McAuliffe in 2021. The win was viewed as a key victory for the GOP, taking back the governor's mansion from the Democrats while Biden was in office.

Although Youngkin is distinguished for his staunchly conservative policies, he still manages a broad appeal that goes beyond the microcosm of the MAGA movement. Youngkin is term-limited in Virginia, meaning that he cannot run for governor in 2025. The governor was recently visited both Iowa and South Carolina, fueling the speculation that he is feeling out a run at the Oval Office in 2028.

Entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy

Entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy rose to fame during the 2024 Republican primaries, quickly throwing his support behind Trump after dropping out of the race. The entrepreneur has endeared himself to Trump since that time, serving briefly in his administration. In addition to being a massively successful business leader, Ramaswamy is also an author and emerging political commentator.

While Ramaswamy has never held an elected office, he has won the support of several prominent members leading MAGA. Ramaswamy also has deep pockets, making it more likely that he will be able to sustain a long campaign.

Will one of these candidates secure the nomination heading into the 2028 election or will a new prospect emerge? Only time will tell.

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