Marco Rubio won’t say if he’s running in 2028. A new poll shows why he keeps getting asked

With Democrats taking over the midterm polls in 2026, people and party members are discussing the Presidential candidates for the next term. Democrats have taken over the Senate and will be taking charge in January 2027. So now, Republican voters have started weighing Marco Rubio as a presidential candidate. The secretary of state still won’t say if he wants the job. At a G7 meeting in France, a reporter asked if Rubio stood by his earlier pledge to support Vice President JD Vance if he ran. Rubio wouldn’t discuss 2028. Another reporter tried 2032. Rubio laughed and passed on that question, too.

What does the 2028 poll say about Marco Rubio and JD Vance?

A Reuters/Ipsos survey conducted Nov. 6–9 found that 45% of Republican voters rated Rubio an excellent presidential candidate. Vance drew the same rating from 43%. The gap was within the five-point margin of error for Republican voters.

The poll didn’t ask voters to choose between them. A Republican could give both men top marks and still have a clear favorite in a primary. The survey does show that plenty of Republican voters are willing to consider Rubio, even without a campaign.

How did the 2026 midterms put Rubio and Vance in different positions?

Democrats won the House and Senate on Nov. 3. Vance had campaigned for Republicans and blamed the Iran war for the defeat. Ohio made the result particularly awkward for him. Democrat Amy Acton beat Vivek Ramaswamy for governor. Sherrod Brown defeated Republican Jon Husted for the Senate seat Vance once held. Donald Trump had carried Ohio by about 11 points two years earlier.

Rubio was less visible during the campaign. He joined Trump for two events in Texas in late October but mostly kept to his diplomatic duties. Republican strategist Brendan Steinhauser told Newsweek that staying off the trail may have helped Rubio avoid some of the blame. Rubio has said the secretary of state should generally stay out of domestic politics.

Could Florida help Marco Rubio in a Republican primary?

Florida gave Republicans one of their better nights. Byron Donalds kept the governorship in Republican hands. Ashley Moody held the Senate seat Rubio vacated. Both races were close. Rubio could point to his home state as a place where Republicans held their ground in a tough year. The results offer little evidence that voters were responding to him personally.

Why could the Iran war complicate a Rubio campaign?

Rubio had spent a little time on the campaign trail, but he had helped shape Trump’s foreign policy as secretary of state and national security adviser. Vance helped negotiate a ceasefire that later collapsed. If Rubio seeks the nomination, he will face questions about his own role in the administration’s decisions.

At the Federalist Society’s convention in Washington on Friday, Rubio acknowledged that Americans were struggling economically. He also defended the administration’s approach abroad. For now, he can explain those choices as Trump’s top diplomat. A presidential campaign would bring a question of his own: What would he do differently if the decision were his?

FAQs

Has Marco Rubio announced a 2028 presidential campaign?

No. Rubio has declined to discuss his plans for 2028.

What did Rubio previously say about a Vance run?

Rubio said he would support Vance if the vice president ran.