Marco Rubio Stands In as JD Vance Campaigns, Fueling 2028 GOP Nomination Race

A White House briefing room scene highlighted the 2028 Republican nomination race as US secretary of state Marco Rubio stood in for press secretary Karoline Leavitt, who was on maternity leave. In that packed briefing room, Rubio told reporters, "Guys, this is chaos," while journalists shouted for questions. At the same time, Vice President JD Vance was hundreds of miles away at a political fundraiser in Oklahoma, according to the account describing the "split-screen" moment. The reporting also frames Rubio’s relaxed handling of questions on Iran, Cuba and China as part of the buzz around his future in Trump’s orbit.

Fox News describes Vice President JD Vance and Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas making stops in Iowa on 2026 missions, with the trips tied to the next presidential race to succeed term-limited President Donald Trump. Veteran Republican strategist David Kochel said, "Iowa’s important," adding that the state’s competitiveness means "there’s going to be a lot of money coming in" and "a lot of attention paid." Fox News also says Cruz heads to Iowa on Friday to deliver the keynote address at the Annual Spring Kickoff for the Iowa Faith & Freedom Coalition. It adds that Vance stops in Iowa on Tuesday and will appear with Republican Rep. Zach Nunn, who is facing a tough re-election in a swing district in the southwestern portion of the state.

The Citizen Tribune account says Rubio’s star is rising in the race to lead a post-Trump Republican party, while noting that neither Rubio nor Vance has officially declared an intention to run. It also reports that polling has suggested Vance, 41, has a large lead among Republican voters, and that Vance’s odds on prediction markets have collapsed in recent weeks. The same reporting says Rubio publicly insisted he would not run in 2028 if Vance is a candidate, while also describing speculation that Trump increasingly favors Rubio. In parallel, Fox News says Vance has demurred when questioned about 2028, labeling speculation as "premature" and "disloyal" to Trump, and it quotes Trump saying last year that Vance is "most likely" his heir apparent.