Vice President JD Vance could face a similar problem to his predecessor Kamala Harris if he chooses to run for the White House in 2028, Republican strategists have warned.
The Kamala Harris Problem
Harris, who stepped in as the Democratic presidential nominee in 2024 when Joe Biden dropped out, was widely felt to be too close to her former boss in the minds of voters and therefore answerable for his perceived policy failures. Vance could find himself facing the very same issue, the conservative advisers cautioned.
The current VP appeared in Iowa Tuesday to stump for GOP Rep. Zach Nunn as he campaigned for the state's 3rd congressional district, at which Vance bragged about the Trump administration's "great record" while blaming Democrats for the ongoing cost of living crisis.
He suffered an embarrassing gaffe when he lost his place in his speech, stuttering, "I'm on the wrong page here," and appealing to Nunn for help.
GOP Operatives Weigh In
Speaking to Politico after Vance exited the stage, GOP operatives warned that his future presidential ambitions are closely tied to the political fortunes of Trump, whose approval rating has nosedived since the launch of joint U.S.-Israeli airstrikes against Iran.
"That's the risk of being part of an administration," Iowa GOP strategist David Kochel said. "This is the Kamala Harris problem." That reality may strike Vance as particularly cruel given that he is reported to have opposed Operation Epic Fury behind the scenes and has largely kept out of the limelight in relation to the war, other than jetting out to Islamabad, Pakistan, to lead unsuccessful peace talks attempting to bring the hostilities to a close.
Republican gubernatorial candidate Randy Feenstra told the publication that Iowans "absolutely" associate Vance with Trump, adding: "We're all in this together. We trust Trump and the vice president and what they're doing, and things are going to be great."
Jake Chapman, a former president of the Iowa Senate, said the Iran conflict and the domestic consequences of Trump's reciprocal tariffs policy were a concern to local voters. "A lot of people are thinking about foreign policy in particular, and how that impacts ag inputs and our agriculture economy," he said.
Potential Rivals
While Vance was blundering in Iowa, Marco Rubio, his closest challenger to be President Donald Trump's successor, was speaking at the White House. Speaking after his rally, Nunn – looking beyond November's midterms – said Vance's appearance had provided the VP with an opportunity to hear from Iowa Republican officials on "what they want to see out of the next leader in 2028."
Vance has not confirmed yet that he does intend to run in the next presidential race, saying he will make up his mind after the birth of his fourth child this summer, and could face stiff competition for the Republican nomination from Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
The latter impressed at a White House briefing on Iran Tuesday, while Vance was losing his thread in a warehouse in Des Moines, at which he addressed foreign policy in concise, clear fashion, delivered smooth off-the-cuff responses to press questions, and even made reference to a classic hip-hop track by Cypress Hill.
Trump himself has mischievously pitted the two men against each other, commenting on his likely successors: "They're both very capable. I do think this: The combination of JD and Marco would be very hard to be beaten, I think. But you never know in politics, right?"
Back in Iowa, Eric Branstad, the son of a former state governor, sounded a warning for Vance by saying that voters have "watched the secretary of state completely perform. He's been put in all of the tough spots, and he has overperformed. The vice president is performing great. It's just not been as noticeable as the secretary of state."
