Vice President Vance emerged as a clear favourite to be the successor to President Trump of the Magazine Movement in a new straw vote held at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) on Saturday.
61% of CPAC's 1,022 participants said they would support Vance as a future GOP standard bearer. 12% said they supported Steve Bannon, a former Trump adviser and right-wing media personality, while 7% said the same about Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R).
Secretary Marco Rubio and Trump's UN ambassador candidate, Rep. Elise Stefanik (RN.Y.), each received 3% support. Donald Trump Jr., director of National Intelligence Tarsi Gabbard and Vivek Ramaswamy, who are scheduled to commence governor bids in Ohio next week, all received 2% support.
Arkansas Gov. Sarah Sanders (R), Florida Sen. Rick Scott (R), Homeland Security Secretary Christie Noem and Trump's major rival to former GOP president, Nicky Haley, all have 1% support. I've received it. 4% said they were not yet decided.
The CPAC straw vote was held by Republican poller Jim McLaughlin.
The same poll naturally said Trump showed a solid crowd of supporters with a 99% approval rating, with 95% saying he strongly approved it.
Vance was the first speaker at CPAC this year, but Trump is scheduled to close the annual gathering on Saturday.
Earlier this month, Trump refused to name Fox News as an automatic successor to Vance, saying it was “too early.” However, Trump praised his vice president in an interview as “very competent.”
