Who's Running 2028
Updated July 14, 2026

Who could be Marco Rubio's 2028 running mate?

No shortlist has been reported. Rubio has not been nominated for the 2028 Republican presidential primary, so there is no running mate yet. VP picks are made after the primaries -- typically in the summer of the election year. Here is how the choice would work and the kinds of profiles that could complement his ticket.

Quick answer

Has Rubio named a running mate for 2028?

No. Marco Rubio is tracked as a likely 2028 Republican presidential contender. President Trump named him alongside JD Vance in May 2026 as one of his most likely successors. But Rubio has not been nominated and has announced no running-mate search. Running mates are chosen after the primaries -- no nominee, no pick. No running-mate shortlist has been publicly reported as of July 14, 2026.

For background on the VP selection process and every contender's running-mate outlook, see the 2028 vice-presidential picks hub.

Secretary of State context

Rubio is the sitting U.S. Secretary of State

Marco Rubio currently serves as U.S. Secretary of State under President Trump, making him the nation's top diplomat. He is a former U.S. Senator from Florida (2011-2017, returned 2023) and a 2016 Republican presidential candidate who dropped out after losing his home state primary. Trump named Rubio and Vance in May 2026 as the two most likely candidates to succeed him, per reporting from Time magazine.

As Secretary of State, Rubio carries extensive foreign-policy and national-security credentials into a potential 2028 campaign. He will be approximately 57 years old on Election Day 2028. A candidate of his profile -- diplomatic, legislative, with deep experience in Latin American and Caribbean policy -- would shape the running-mate calculus in ways distinct from a sitting-governor or populist-lane nominee.

Ticket-balancing

What a Rubio ticket would need to balance

VP picks typically aim for contrast in one or more dimensions. Here is how Rubio's profile shapes the potential balance math -- all of this is speculative until he is nominated.

Geography

Rubio is a Florida resident, and Florida (30 electoral votes) has voted Republican in 2016, 2020, and 2024 -- it is classified Likely R for 2028. That means Florida is already expected in the GOP column regardless of the nominee, so a running mate does not need to supply it. The VP pick could instead focus on a genuine battleground: Pennsylvania (19 EV), Michigan (15 EV), Wisconsin (10 EV), Georgia (16 EV), Arizona (11 EV), or Nevada (6 EV). A fellow Florida Republican such as DeSantis would face the 12th Amendment same-state constraint (see below).

Experience and profile

Rubio's strengths are in foreign policy, Senate legislative experience, and appeal to Latino voters -- particularly Cuban-American and other Florida Hispanic communities. At 57 on Election Day 2028, he is mid-to-senior range in age for recent major-party nominees. A running mate with deep executive or gubernatorial experience, a strong connection to Midwestern or Sun Belt working-class voters, or a profile that reinforces economic-populist themes could round out the ticket and contrast with his diplomat-senator brand.

The Florida same-state constraint explained

The 12th Amendment requires that presidential electors cast their votes for a president and a vice president who are not both from the same state as the electors themselves. Because Rubio is a Florida resident, Florida's 30 electors could not cast both their presidential vote for Rubio and their VP vote for a fellow Florida resident without forfeiting the VP electoral votes -- a 30-vote cost. Ron DeSantis, the most-searched other Florida Republican, is also a Florida resident and faces the same constraint on a Rubio ticket. This is the same rule that led Dick Cheney to change his voter registration from Texas to Wyoming before joining George W. Bush's ticket in 2000. This note is offered as constitutional context only; no same-state pairing has been discussed.

Speculative - illustrative only

Republican profiles that could complement a Rubio ticket

These are Republican figures whose geographic or experience profiles could theoretically balance a Rubio ticket. No pairing has been reported or chosen. This is illustrative, not a shortlist.

JD Vance
Vice President of the United States - Ohio
Likely to run
Ron DeSantis
Governor of Florida - Florida
Likely to run
Ted Cruz
U.S. Senator (Texas) - Texas
Possible
Rand Paul
U.S. Senator (Kentucky) - Kentucky
Possible
Brian Kemp
Governor of Georgia - Georgia
Possible
Josh Hawley
U.S. Senator (Missouri) - Missouri
Possible
Tulsi Gabbard
Outgoing Director of National Intelligence - Hawaii
Possible
Sarah Huckabee Sanders
Governor of Arkansas - Arkansas
Possible
Quick answers

Marco Rubio running mate FAQ

Who will be Marco Rubio's 2028 running mate?
No one has been named. Rubio has not been nominated for the 2028 Republican presidential primary, so there is no running mate yet. Running mates are chosen by the nominee after clinching the primaries -- typically in the summer of the election year. No shortlist has been publicly reported as of July 14, 2026.
Has Marco Rubio announced a running mate for 2028?
No. Rubio is tracked as a likely 2028 Republican contender -- President Trump named him alongside JD Vance in May 2026 as one of his most likely successors. But Rubio has not been nominated and has announced no running-mate search. A vice-presidential pick is made after the primaries conclude, typically at or just before the party convention.
Could Ron DeSantis be Marco Rubio's running mate?
The same-state constraint is a significant obstacle. Both Rubio and DeSantis are Florida residents. Under the 12th Amendment, presidential electors must cast at least one of their two votes (for president and vice president) for someone who is not from the same state as the electors themselves. Florida's 30 electors could not cast both their presidential vote for Rubio and their VP vote for fellow Florida resident DeSantis without forfeiting Florida's 30 electoral votes on the VP slot. This is the same constraint that led Dick Cheney to change his voter registration from Texas to Wyoming before joining George W. Bush's 2000 ticket.
What would Rubio look for in a 2028 running mate?
If Rubio won the Republican nomination, the pick would likely aim to balance the ticket. He is from Florida (30 electoral votes, Likely R in recent cycles), so the VP does not need to supply that state. A running mate from a key battleground -- Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, Georgia, Arizona, or Nevada -- could broaden the path to 270. At 57 on Election Day 2028, Rubio's profile is that of an experienced legislator and diplomat; a running mate with executive-branch or gubernatorial depth could round out the team.
When do presidential nominees announce running mates?
Nominees typically announce their vice-presidential pick in the summer before the general election, often just before or at the party convention. For 2028 that would be summer 2028, after the Republican primaries conclude.
Does Rubio's running mate need to be eligible for president?
Yes. The 12th Amendment requires that the vice president be constitutionally eligible for the presidency -- a natural-born U.S. citizen, at least 35 years old, and a U.S. resident for at least 14 years. These are the same requirements that apply under Article II, Section 1. Rubio himself was born in Miami, Florida, and the prevailing legal view is that he is a natural-born citizen eligible for the presidency.

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