Vice President JD Vance said Saturday there is a real possibility he won’t run for president in 2028, despite leading early polling for the Republican nomination.
Speaking at a CBS News town hall in Flat Rock, Michigan, Vance was asked directly whether he might sit out the race to succeed President Donald Trump. “Of course there’s a chance,” he said.
“We’ve got four little kids, my wife has never loved politics. She loves public service.”
Vance made the remarks even though he currently dominates the field of potential 2028 Republican contenders. According to the RealClearPolling average, Vance leads with 39% support, 15 percentage points ahead of Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Donald Trump Jr. sits in third place with 11%.
Vance did not elaborate further on what factors beyond family would weigh on a decision, and he stopped short of saying he would not run.
Should Vance decline to seek the nomination, other Republicans mentioned as potential successors include Rubio, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, and Senator Ted Cruz of Texas. On the Democratic side, former Vice President Kamala Harris remains the current front-runner in early polling.
The 2028 race remains more than two years away, and the composition of Congress after the 2026 midterms could shape how the next two years of the Trump-Vance administration unfold.
