New 2028 GOP Straw Poll Shows Major Shift

Secretary of State Marco Rubio widened his lead in The Western Journal’s latest non-scientific 2028 GOP straw poll covering Sept. 14–20.

Rubio took 39.1 percent, up 2.1 points from 37 percent the week before. That stretched his gap over Vice President J.D. Vance from 10.8 points to 15.4.

Vance finished second at 23.7 percent, down 2.5 points from 26.2 percent. The two had traded the top spot earlier in the year after the weekly survey launched.

Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky posted the week’s biggest gain among named candidates. He rose to 18.8 percent from 13.7 percent, a jump of 5.1 points, and held third place.

Massie lost his primary earlier this year. His support has swung hard, including a brief August surge to first before Rubio and Vance pulled ahead again.

President Donald Trump drew 7.4 percent even though he is term-limited and not running in 2028. That was down 2.2 points from 9.6 percent.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis finished fifth at 6.2 percent, off 0.8 points. The “Other” bucket, reserved for anyone under 2 percent, rose to 4.9 percent from 4.1.

The outlet said it will keep running the reader poll until actual primary ballots are cast.

The Western Journal describes its weekly survey as a non-scientific straw poll, meaning respondents are self-selected readers rather than a probability-based sample designed to represent Republican voters nationwide. The results therefore provide a snapshot of sentiment among participating readers rather than a projection of the eventual primary electorate.

The wider discussion over the Republican Party’s post-Trump leadership has increasingly centered on both Rubio and Vance. Reuters reported in September that Republican officials, activists and donors were already discussing the party’s direction after Trump leaves office, with both men frequently mentioned in conversations about 2028.

Vance received additional national attention during the Republican midterm convention in Dallas, where he delivered a lengthy address and some attendees responded with chants of “48,” a reference to the next president. Trump later praised Vance’s performance but stopped short of endorsing anyone for the next presidential race.

Rubio, meanwhile, was traveling in South America during the Dallas gathering. He has served as secretary of state since January 2025, giving him a prominent role in the administration’s foreign-policy agenda as speculation about the next Republican presidential field continues.

The potential contest is also developing alongside an internal Republican debate over policy. Reuters reported that party figures have pointed to disagreements involving trade, tariffs, foreign intervention and the future of the populist movement as issues that could help define the eventual 2028 nomination fight.

Trump has publicly cautioned against getting too far ahead of the next presidential election. Asked in late August about possible 2028 contenders, he said it