Secretary of State Marco Rubio has emerged as the new favourite to win the 2028 presidential election on prediction market Kalshi, according to an announcement on Wednesday. The platform showed Rubio leading at 19 percent, with Vice President JD Vance and California Governor Gavin Newsom both at 18 percent.
Polymarket, another prediction market site, also reported that Rubio's odds hit an all-time high, though he remained several points behind Vance. These platforms allow users to bet on event outcomes, with over $200 million staked on political events through Kalshi and Polymarket, as reported by The Washington Post in January.
Despite the speculation, Rubio has repeatedly expressed support for Vance, calling him a 'great nominee' and stating he would be among the first to back him if he runs. Rubio has also cited rules against his involvement in domestic politics while serving as secretary of state, a role he intends to keep until January 2028.
However, President Donald Trump has reportedly started pitting Vance and Rubio against each other, asking donors about the two men at a recent event where applause for Rubio was louder. Trump views this as a game and has expressed a desire for them to run on the same ticket, according to sources cited by the Wall Street Journal.
