Source: Politics<\/p>\n
A growing number of Republicans on Capitol Hill want to draft Marco Rubio for a 2028 presidential bid as they grapple with their midterms wipeout \u2014 and look beyond Vice President JD Vance.<\/p>\n
The generational losses are sparking new discussions among Hill Republicans about who should lead the party. Many argue the race to carry the mantle is now wide open \u2014 including a faction who view Rubio as a better fit, given that voters may continue to tie Vance to the president\u2019s unpopularity, interviews with roughly two dozen GOP lawmakers reveal.<\/p>\n
\u201cI hope he runs. I think he’s the best person to communicate, to unify,\u201d Rep. Marlin Stutzman (R-Ind.) said of Rubio in an interview.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think he’s the most talented Republican by far,\u201d Stutzman said when asked about why he supported the secretary of State over Vance. \u201cWe’re going to have to continue to re-message, put some new faces up.\u201d The vice president still has his supporters. And he got a boost Tuesday by fellow Ohio Republican Jim Jordan being elected as the incoming House minority leader.<\/p>\n
But the election wipeout \u201ccertainly makes it harder for Vance,\u201d said one GOP senator, who like others in this article, was granted anonymity to speak candidly.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think Rubio is our best hope to lead Republicans out of this wilderness, and I hope he makes his break from Trump and JD early next year,\u201d said one House Republican in the wake of the election.<\/p>\n
The openness toward Rubio \u2014 or any other candidate that\u2019s not Vance \u2014 is a complication for the vice president, who was picked by Trump for the role that\u2019s next in line to the presidency. Now, Vance has to grapple with being closely associated with an agenda that even GOP lawmakers argue voters harshly rebuked last week.<\/p>\n
Several lawmakers said they\u2019ve spoken to people close to Rubio who have suggested he isn\u2019t interested in pursuing a 2028 bid, even after Tuesday\u2019s results. Rubio himself this week has stood by Trump\u2019s decision to go to war against Iran and told reporters Monday he was \u201cjust not going to talk about 2028 anymore.\u201d<\/p>\n
A person close to Rubio said the secretary of State is the only person who knows what he will do regarding a presidential bid. Right now, he\u2019s \u201cfully focused on doing his many jobs and isn\u2019t thinking about 2028.\u201d<\/p>\n
But some Hill Republicans aren\u2019t giving up hope.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m a big supporter of Marco Rubio, and I\u2019m very excited about the potential of his candidacy,\u201d said Florida Rep. Mike Haridopolos, who has known the secretary of State for nearly three decades. \u201cNo question he\u2019s ready to be president if he chooses to pursue the office.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSome of us are still hoping we can draft Marco,\u201d said another GOP senator.<\/p>\n
A State Department spokesperson declined to comment. Vance\u2019s office didn\u2019t respond to a request for comment.<\/p>\n
Vance, for his part, has tried to distance himself from the unpopular Iran war, blaming it for the party\u2019s losses in the immediate aftermath of the midterm election. His allies argue that the vice president would\u2019ve always faced some internal opposition, like Trump did within the GOP ahead of the 2016 election.<\/p>\n
However, as the Rubio talk swirls, even some of Trump\u2019s top MAGA allies on Capitol Hill are unwilling to publicly declare Vance the presumptive GOP nominee for 2028. \u201cCan I skip this one?\u201d one House GOP hardliner said. \u201cNot wading into 2028 yet.\u201d Some Republican senators also declined to back Vance just yet, citing their own reelections.<\/p>\n
GOP Rep. and Sen.-elect Barry Moore of Alabama said he thought Vance would certainly \u201chave a shot\u201d at the presidency in 2028. Moore was the first member of Congress to back Trump for the 2016 race.<\/p>\n
But Moore for now is leaving his endorsement up in the air: \u201cWe got a great bench,” he said. “Whoever steps up, we’ll be happy to support.\u201d<\/p>\n
Rubio\u2019s supporters say that he\u2019s not as closely associated with the 2026 GOP wipeout as Vance, but he could face his own obstacles. Rubio, unlike Vance, has continued to show strong support for the war in Iran, a conflict he\u2019s tied to as the country\u2019s top diplomat. Some GOP lawmakers have also grown frustrated with the amount of information the Trump administration, including Rubio at times, has been willing to share about the ongoing conflict.<\/p>\n