2028 Republican candidates
The Republicans most likely to seek the presidency in 2028, led by the sitting vice president. The field is still forming.
Who is the Republican frontrunner for 2028?
Vice President JD Vance is the clear early Republican frontrunner, leading every recent 2028 primary poll - usually by double digits (roughly 29% to 47%) - as well as the betting markets. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has usually polled second, but in September 2026 he said he has "no plans at this time" to run in 2028, and Donald Trump Jr. placed second (24%) in the late-September Harvard-Harris survey. Ron DeSantis is further back. No major Republican has formally declared (only long-shots Dan Greaney and Royce White have filed), and Donald Trump is term-limited by the 22nd Amendment and cannot run again.
Republican candidates most likely to run in 2028
- JD Vance - Vice President of the United StatesThe clear early Republican frontrunner, at or near the top of every 2028 GOP primary poll in mid-2026.
- Ron DeSantis - Governor of FloridaBetween 6% and 9% in the six national Republican primary polls from August to mid-September 2026, behind JD Vance and Marco Rubio in all six and behind Donald Trump Jr. in four.
Compare them on 2028 odds, polls, and the Republican primary. The full field, including possible and long-shot names, is below.
Latest 2028 Republican primary polls
JD Vance leads the most recent survey at 38% (McLaughlin & Associates, October 30 - November 5, 2026).
| Poll | Dates | Vance | Rubio | Trump Jr. | DeSantis | Kennedy Jr. | Haley | Cruz |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| McLaughlin & Associates427 LV | October 30 - November 5, 2026 | 38% | 17% | 14% | 7% | - | 4% | 3% |
| AtlasIntel3,566 LV | October 28-November 1, 2026 | 32.9% | 45.6% | 2.3% | 4.5% | - | - | 1.4% |
| Harvard-Harris2,700 RV | October 24-26, 2026 | 40% | 21% | 21% | - | 8% | 4% | - |
| Clarity Campaign Labs413 LV | October 15-21, 2026 | 40% | 17% | 17% | 9% | 5% | - | 2% |
| Echelon Insights417 LV | October 15-19, 2026 | 38% | 20% | 7% | 12% | 2% | - | 4% |
| Noble Predictive Insights1,137 RV | October 5-7, 2026 | 44% | 18% | - | 8% | - | 3% | 5% |
| Focaldata/Financial Times803 LV | October 2-5, 2026 | 38% | 24% | 7% | 9% | 4% | - | 2% |
| Harvard-Harris2,200 RV | September 26-28, 2026 | 39% | 17% | 24% | - | 9% | 5% | - |
| McLaughlin & Associates430 LV | September 16-22, 2026 | 35% | 15% | 14% | 6% | - | 3% | 3% |
| Echelon Insights424 LV | September 17-21, 2026 | 38% | 20% | 6% | 8% | 3% | - | 3% |
| Clarity Campaign Labs406 LV | September 11-16, 2026 | 35% | 16% | 12% | 12% | 5% | - | 3% |
| Big Data Poll1,110 LV | September 13-15, 2026 | 38% | 16% | - | 8% | 6% | 6% | 4% |
| Focaldata662 LV | August 28 - September 2, 2026 | 43% | 21% | 7% | 9% | 4% | - | 4% |
| Bowling Green State University/YouGov499 LV | August 25 - September 1, 2026 | 44% | 21% | 8% | 7% | 2% | 1% | 3% |
| Quantus Insights473 LV | August 26-28, 2026 | 41% | 29% | 9% | 6% | - | - | - |
| McLaughlin & Associates433 LV | August 18-24, 2026 | 32% | 12% | 19% | 6% | - | 5% | 2% |
| Focaldata874 A | August 7-11, 2026 | 42% | 18% | 10% | 8% | 6% | - | 3% |
| Emerson College | July 19-20, 2026 | 39% | 38% | 5% | 5% | - | - | - |
| Echelon Insights1,004 LV | July 9-13, 2026 | 38% | 15% | 8% | 9% | 3% | - | 2% |
| Harvard-Harris1,776 RV | July 11-12, 2026 | 42% | 22% | 18% | - | 6% | 6% | - |
| YouGov369 A | July 8-10, 2026 | 32% | 19% | 11% | 4% | 1% | 2% | 2% |
| Quantus Insights480 LV | July 3-7, 2026 | 42% | 26% | - | 9% | - | 3% | 4% |
| Zogby375 LV | July 1-4, 2026 | 51% | 13% | - | 13% | - | - | 5% |
| Focaldata727 LV | June 26-30, 2026 | 40% | 18% | 9% | 7% | 5% | - | 2% |
| Big Data Poll1,166 LV | June 26-28, 2026 | 37% | 18% | - | 8% | 7% | 4% | 5% |
| Daily Mail/JL Partners517 LV | June 24-26, 2026 | 51% | 15% | - | 9% | - | 2% | 6% |
| McLaughlin & Associates440 RV | June 17-23, 2026 | 35% | 15% | 14% | 5% | - | 3% | 3% |
| Echelon Insights418 LV | June 11-14, 2026 | 42% | 15% | 7% | 6% | 3% | - | 2% |
| Echelon Insights1,121 LV | June 5-9, 2026 | 38% | 19% | 13% | 7% | 3% | - | 3% |
| Noble Predictive Insights1,046 RV | June 1-4, 2026 | 36% | 17% | - | 7% | - | 3% | 5% |
| Focaldata667 A | May 29 - June 1, 2026 | 37% | 18% | 10% | 9% | 5% | - | 3% |
| Harvard-Harris1,725 RV | May 29-31, 2026 | 45% | 21% | 21% | - | - | - | - |
| I&I/TIPP561 RV | May 26-28, 2026 | 29% | 12% | 19% | 6% | 4% | 2% | 3% |
| Big Data Poll1,148 LV | May 24-27, 2026 | 37.4% | 16.1% | - | 7.2% | 5.9% | 3.8% | 3.3% |
| Emerson College432 LV | May 24-25, 2026 | 35.5% | 34.6% | - | 5.4% | 3.1% | 4.6% | 0.7% |
| Overton Insights509 | May 16-20, 2026 | 39% | 32% | - | 9% | - | 4% | - |
| Daily Mail/JL Partners496 LV | May 15-19, 2026 | 47% | 18% | - | 9% | - | 3% | 4% |
| McLaughlin & Associates431 LV | May 12-18, 2026 | 32% | 15% | 13% | 6% | - | 5% | - |
| Echelon Insights418 LV | May 14-18, 2026 | 36% | 12% | 6% | 12% | 2% | - | 2% |
Leading name per poll in bold. Full detail on the Republican primary polls page. Percentages as reported by each pollster.
Republican candidates formally in the 2028 race
A long-shot candidate who formally announced and filed paperwork, running as a self-described Lincoln-and-Roosevelt Republican.
A former first-round NBA draft pick who lost Minnesota's 2024 Senate race to Amy Klobuchar and finished third in the August 2026 Republican Senate primary. He announced a presidential campaign the next day.
Other Republican names who could run in 2028
Term-limited Georgia governor seen as a leading traditional-conservative option. He passed on a 2026 Senate race, fueling 2028 speculation.
A Florida congressman and close Trump ally who won the Republican primary for Florida governor on August 18, 2026 and defeated Democrat David Jolly on November 3, 2026, becoming Florida's governor-elect. His rising profile keeps his name in occasional 2028 conversations.
Former two-term New Jersey governor who ran for the Republican nomination in 2016 and 2024, the second time as a leading Trump critic. In September 2026 he said he is weighing a third bid.
An influential party fundraiser and the president's eldest son, whose name surfaces in 2028 speculation.
A former House Republican Conference chair and prominent Trump ally who ended her bid for New York governor in December 2025 and is not seeking re-election to the House. She is sometimes mentioned among the party's younger national prospects.
A former private-equity executive who served one term as Virginia governor and has long been mentioned as a potential national candidate.
A former U.S. Border Patrol commander who became a viral figure as a public face of the 2025-26 immigration crackdown. In June 2026 a supporter-built 'Bovino2028' website and a self-described exploratory committee drew national headlines; Bovino said a 2028 run is 'on the table' if it advances mass deportations.
Louisiana senator since 2017, known for his folksy one-liners. He has said his plan is to run for re-election to the Senate but that he would consider a presidential bid.
A former South Dakota governor who served as Homeland Security secretary in 2025-2026 and has been U.S. special envoy for the Shield of the Americas since March 2026, with a national profile that keeps her in future-contender lists.
Libertarian-leaning Kentucky senator and former 2016 candidate who has said another bid is under consideration.
Arkansas governor and former White House press secretary often mentioned as a future national contender, with no formal moves yet.
The 2016 runner-up and Texas senator has said he expects to seek the presidency again and was reported to be weighing a campaign.
A South Carolina senator and 2024 presidential candidate with a strong fundraising network and an optimistic message.
An Army veteran and Arkansas senator known for a hawkish foreign policy, frequently listed among possible future contenders.
Former Democrat turned Republican and Trump administration official whose 2026 departure from the DNI role has fueled 2028 talk.
A biotech entrepreneur and 2024 Republican primary candidate who won the May 2026 GOP primary for Ohio governor then lost the November 3, 2026 general election to Democrat Amy Acton. He remains a prominent national voice and a name in 2028 speculation.
See the 2028 Republican primary for how the nomination is won.
Republican names not running or ineligible in 2028
The sitting president cannot appear on the 2028 ballot. Having been elected in 2016 and 2024, he has reached the two-term limit and is constitutionally ineligible.
Former 2016 candidate now serving as Secretary of State, long seen as the main alternative to Vance. On September 9, 2026 he said he has "no plans at this time" to run in 2028 and is focused on his job; Wikipedia now lists him among Republicans who declined to run. He did not rule out a future campaign outright.
A populist, economic-nationalist Missouri senator long mentioned for the Trump-aligned lane. In September 2026 he ended speculation about a 2028 bid, telling the Washington Examiner he has no intention of seeking the Republican nomination.
Defense secretary and former TV host occasionally floated in 2028 chatter. In August 2026 he called an NBC report that he had discussed a presidential run "100% false," and a Pentagon spokesman said he "is not running for president."
A former South Carolina governor and U.N. ambassador who was the last major rival standing in the 2024 Republican primary. Asked on CNN's State of the Union in April 2026 whether she would run in 2028, she said: "I will not."
A long-serving Texas governor who ruled out a 2028 presidential run in August 2025 when he announced his campaign for a fourth term as governor. His campaign confirmed "No" 2028 interest again in August 2026. He won the Republican gubernatorial primary in March 2026 with 81.8% of the vote, then lost the November 3, 2026 general election to Democrat Gina Hinojosa.
Why isn't President Trump on the 2028 ballot? See Can Donald Trump run in 2028?
2028 Republican candidates: FAQ
Who is the 2028 Republican frontrunner?
Who are the 2028 Republican candidates?
Who will be the 2028 Republican nominee?
Who could challenge JD Vance for the 2028 Republican nomination?
Has anyone officially announced a 2028 campaign?
Who are the top 10 Republican candidates for 2028?
Get 2028 Republican updates
We will email you when a Republican candidate enters or drops out of the 2028 race.