Vice President JD Vance has often been seen as the leading Republican prospect to succeed President Donald Trump. But after the party’s heavy midterm losses, questions are growing about whether Vance can secure the nomination in 2028.
Some Republicans have criticized Vance’s explanation for the defeats, especially his claim that the war with Iran was the main reason voters turned against the party. At the same time, other prominent Republicans are attracting interest as possible presidential contenders, making the field less certain.
Republicans lost control of both chambers of Congress, with at least 30 GOP House members losing their races. The results have sparked disagreement within the party over what went wrong and how it should respond.
Some of Vance’s allies have reportedly encouraged him to consider skipping the 2028 race, according to a Nov. 7 report in The Wall Street Journal. Others close to him still expect him to run, The Washington Post reported Friday. For now, his plans remain unclear.
An ally of the vice president rejected the idea that the midterm results had weakened his prospects, saying Vance would decide on his own schedule. The ally also said Vance should compete in a Republican primary rather than simply be handed the nomination, and expressed confidence that he could win.
In a Nov. 4 post on X, Vance listed inflation, America First priorities and the U.S. relationship with Israel as concerns among voters who had left the Republican Party. He identified the Iran war as the central reason for the losses, saying the party needed to face the political consequences of the conflict.
Rep. Randy Fine, R-Fla., criticized the post in a Nov. 8 interview and said he would not support Vance in a Republican presidential primary. Fine, who is Jewish, accused Vance of blaming Jewish people for the losses, pointing to his comments about the war and polling that found some voters wanted a change in U.S. policy toward Israel.
Vance did not explicitly blame Jewish people in his post. His office had previously declined to respond to Fine’s characterization.
Other Republicans have begun voicing support for potential alternatives. After the midterms, Rep. Marlin Stutzman, R-Ind., said he strongly backed Secretary of State Marco Rubio, calling him a possible unifying figure for the party. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas have also been mentioned as possible 2028 candidates.
Former Vice President Mike Pence offered a different explanation for the losses in an interview Thursday. He argued that voters were frustrated not because Trump began the war, but because his administration had not brought it to a conclusion. Pence also pointed to repeated negotiations and high fuel prices as sources of public frustration.
Trump has defended Vance’s assessment of the election results and said the comments had not strained their relationship. Still, the president stood by his decision to go to war, saying he would make the same choice again despite the political consequences. Donald Trump Jr. also voiced support for Vance’s post.
On Thursday, Trump told Vance to focus on alleged crime and corruption in Democratic-led states and cities rather than continuing negotiations with Iran. The vice president had played a significant role in diplomatic efforts involving Iran, including talks over a brief truce earlier in the year.
Trump accused Democratic leaders in states including Minnesota, California and Illinois of presiding over widespread corruption, and said addressing the alleged misconduct could help balance the federal budget. He also said the United States no longer needed an agreement with Iran, arguing that the opportunity for a deal had passed.
Trump has previously suggested Vance could be his successor. During an Oval Office meeting with donors over the summer, he reportedly said Republicans needed to elect Vance in 2028. However, he has not publicly endorsed him and has left open the possibility that other Republicans could run.
Asked on Nov. 4 whether he had discussed a possible 2028 campaign with Vance, Trump said they talked about many things and added that he did not know who would run. Vance, meanwhile, said in an October interview that he had not made up his mind about entering the race, but believed Trump would endorse him if he did.
