Amidst the swirling speculation regarding the 2028 presidential race within Republican circles, Vice President JD Vance consistently stands out as the leading candidate. As reported by GOP insiders in the New York Post, Vance’s influential position as the finance chair of the Republican National Committee positions him as a formidable contender to follow President Donald Trump, with some even designating him as the clear frontrunner.
One source indicated, “If he amplifies the RNC’s fundraising efforts and the party improves its performance in 2026, he will solidify his status as the next GOP leader—provided he maintains favorable relations with you know who.”
Republican strategist Dennis Lennox went even further, asserting, “The notion that Vance will not be the Republican nominee in 2028 is ludicrous.” He also remarked to The Post, “Conducting all the primaries, caucuses, and the convention in Houston would squander valuable time and resources that could be better utilized in defeating the Democratic nominee. The RNC might as well cancel the 2028 primaries and caucuses at this stage.”
As of now, neither party has officially declared candidates for the 2028 election. However, Vance may encounter primary challenges from individuals such as Mike Pompeo and Nikki Haley. In the general election, he could face off against Democratic contenders like former Vice President Kamala Harris, California Governor Gavin Newsom, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, and Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, according to The Post.
There is also the possibility of unexpected challengers emerging from within the Republican ranks, including those associated with Trump, should they perceive an opening. Nevertheless, the outlet noted that if Vance maintains his current trajectory, he seems to have a promising path ahead. Trump has yet to fully endorse his vice president, mentioning in February that considerable work remains before the next election, but he acknowledged that Vance is “very capable.”
The vice president is currently exercising patience while actively working to prove his suitability for the nomination.
“If I perform exceptionally well over the next four years, everything else will fall into place. However, in two and a half years, will it become more challenging? Will the public’s attention shift more towards politics rather than the daily activities of the White House? Possibly,” Vance remarked in an interview with NBC News last week.
In a related development, Trump signed an executive order on Tuesday designed to enhance the integrity of elections in the United States, thereby fulfilling a significant campaign commitment.
During the signing ceremony, the president asserted that this order would significantly contribute to the eradication of election fraud across the nation and indicated that additional initiatives from his administration would be forthcoming in the weeks ahead.
“Some may argue that I shouldn’t voice concerns since we won decisively, but we are determined to rectify our electoral processes,” Trump stated. “This nation is suffering due to fraudulent elections, and we will address these issues one way or another.”
The order aims to strengthen election integrity by mandating documentary proof of U.S. citizenship on voter registration forms, as outlined in an administration fact sheet.
Before states can access federal election funding, they must adhere to “integrity measures established by federal law, including the stipulation that states utilize the national mail voter registration form, which will now necessitate proof of citizenship,” according to the order.
“The Order enhances election integrity by mandating updates to the Voluntary Voting System Guidelines 2.0 and security standards for voting equipment, while prioritizing federal grant allocations accordingly,” the administration stated. “This includes the requirement for a voter-verifiable paper ballot record and prohibits the use of ballots where the counted vote is embedded within a barcode or QR code.”
The order also empowers federal law enforcement officials.
