Overview
- Trump frequently asks advisers to choose between JD Vance and Marco Rubio and has floated them as a joint 2028 ticket, according to Sunday’s New York Times report.
- Vance remains the frontrunner, leading Rubio by about 30 points in polling averages and posting stronger favorability with Republicans despite low overall approval.
- Rubio’s profile jumped after he led a White House briefing on the Iran war, met Pope Leo XIV and Italy’s prime minister, and shared a polished video that looked like a campaign ad.
- Both men are taking larger roles before the midterms, with Vance rallying in Iowa for Rep. Zach Nunn and working donors in his RNC finance post while Rubio handles high-visibility duties in Washington and abroad.
- Commentary is drifting into unverified scenarios such as a role for Donald Trump Jr., but the corroborated reporting centers on Trump’s private testing of Vance versus Rubio and the early polling edge for Vance.