Is Marco Rubio running for president in 2028?
Marco Rubio is tracked as a likely 2028 Republican candidate. The Secretary of State and former 2016 presidential candidate has been named by President Trump alongside JD Vance as one of his two most likely successors. He consistently runs second to Vance in GOP primary polls. He has not formally declared or filed with the FEC as of mid-2026.
Marco Rubio, the U.S. Secretary of State and former 2016 Republican presidential candidate, is the second-ranked name in the 2028 Republican field. In May 2026 President Trump discussed 2028 succession at the White House, naming Rubio alongside JD Vance as his two most likely successors - a notable public signal from the sitting president about the men he sees carrying the party forward. Rubio has not made a formal announcement or FEC filing.
Rubio consistently ranks second to Vance in 2028 Republican primary polling. Most polls give Vance a double-digit lead, though one May 2026 Emerson survey showed them within a point. His standing as a Trump-endorsed figure and former primary contender makes him the main alternative if Vance does not run or stumbles in the primary.
Rubio is constitutionally eligible. He is a natural-born U.S. citizen, is 55 years old as of mid-2026 - well above the constitutional minimum of 35 - and has been a U.S. resident his entire life. No legal bar prevents a 2028 candidacy.
The 2028 Republican field's other tracked names include Ron DeSantis, Ted Cruz, and others, though none has significantly closed the gap with Vance as of mid-2026. Rubio's profile as Secretary of State - a position at the center of the administration's foreign policy - gives him a senior executive credential that would define how he presents himself in a primary campaign.
Related: Marco Rubio - full candidate profile | The 2028 Republican field | 2028 prediction-market odds
Related questions
Has Marco Rubio said he is running for president in 2028?
Is Marco Rubio eligible to run for president in 2028?
What is Marco Rubio's position in the 2028 Republican field?
Has Marco Rubio run for president before?
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Related explainers
To be eligible, a person must be a natural-born U.S. citizen, at least 35 years old, and have lived in the U.S. for at least 14 years.
The 2028 presidential campaign effectively starts after the November 2026 midterms, with formal announcements expected through 2027 - historically 12 to 18 months before the first primaries in early 2028. There is no legal start date, and as of July 2026 no major candidate has formally declared.
JD Vance, the sitting Vice President of the United States, is the clear Republican frontrunner for 2028. He has not formally declared but leads every major GOP primary poll and prediction market, and made an early visit to Iowa in 2026. He is constitutionally eligible.
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