Vice President JD Vance's presence at a closed-door donor summit this week has significantly intensified speculation surrounding the 2028 presidential race, where he and Secretary of State Marco Rubio are widely viewed as the leading contenders to succeed Donald Trump atop the Republican Party.
Secretive Donor Gathering in Nashville
On Monday at the Four Seasons in Nashville, Tennessee, Vance headlined a meeting of the Rockbridge Network, a donor group he helped establish in 2019 while working as a venture capitalist. According to CBS News, roughly 250 members attended this political pow-wow, where tickets reportedly ran upwards of $100,000 per person.
The former Ohio senator and Hillbilly Elegy author addressed the gathering, focusing on his anti-fraud initiatives and the looming midterm elections. Notably, he refrained from any direct remarks about the 2028 presidential contest. "It obviously wouldn't be too smart to do that," an unnamed source told the outlet.
Deep-Pocketed Support and Speculation
Despite the official silence on 2028, the high-profile attendees—including billionaire heiress Rebekah Mercer and business executive Omeed Malik—were undeterred from speculating about the vice president's political future and their potential role in financing it.
Rockbridge Network members are "the people that will be rallying around JD, and they want to back JD," a conservative venture capitalist revealed to CBS News. Chris Buskirk, co-founder of the donor group, also helped establish 1789 Capital, a venture capital firm with ties to Trump family allies.
"There is a Venn diagram where Rockbridge and 1789 meet, and they want JD to be the heir apparent," a second conservative investor told the network. Other notable attendees included veteran GOP strategist Chris LaCivita, former Arizona Senate candidate Blake Master, and MAGA music star Kid Rock.
Rubio's Notable Absence
Secretary of State Marco Rubio was conspicuously absent from the Tennessee summit. His star has risen steadily within the Trump administration as he has expanded his portfolio, most recently taking a leading role in overseeing the war in Iran. The Independent has contacted the White House and the State Department for comment regarding his absence and future plans.
Polling and Public Positioning
Vance and Rubio, who are close friends, have remained publicly tight-lipped about their 2028 ambitions. However, several indicators point toward a potential presidential run for both. Their high popularity among Republican voters is a significant factor.
In a survey of respondents at the Conservative Political Action Conference last weekend, 53 percent said they prefer Vance to be the GOP presidential nominee in 2028, while Rubio came in second with 35 percent. By comparison, a 2025 poll showed 61 percent backing Vance and just 3 percent favoring Rubio, indicating a notable shift in support.
Trump's Influence and the "Dream Ticket"
In recent months, President Donald Trump has repeatedly pitted the two men against each other by naming them as potential successors. "They're both very capable," Trump said earlier this year. "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?"
Privately, the president has also posed the question to allies and confidants: "Marco or JD?" according to an Axios report last month. "Vance-Rubio is the president's dream ticket…and to be clear, that's Vance on top," an unnamed Trump adviser told the outlet. "But would Trump be happy with a Rubio-Vance ticket? Absolutely."
Public Statements and Behind-the-Scenes Maneuvering
Secretary Rubio has publicly stated that he would not challenge Vice President Vance if he chooses to run, telling Vanity Fair last year: "If JD Vance runs for president, he's going to be our nominee, and I'll be one of the first people to support him."
Nevertheless, a circle of GOP donors has quietly begun strategizing ways to elevate the secretary's political profile ahead of the presidential election, a campaign dubbed "Draft Rubio," as reported by ABC News.
Uncertainty and Future Calculations
Meanwhile, Vance has indicated in recent conversations that he has not yet made a definitive decision about running in 2028, according to sources who spoke with The Washington Post. The ongoing war in Iran, which polls show is unpopular, could present a significant sticking point for the Marine veteran, who has previously voiced opposition to foreign military interventions.
In an interview this week, Second Lady Usha Vance, who is expecting the couple's fourth child, also expressed uncertainty about her husband's political future. She told NBC News that the vice president's prospects are not "a priority in our conversations," adding that he is "very focused on the midterm elections right now."
However, Vice President Vance has a new book on his religious faith scheduled for release this spring. Such book launches—and the extensive cross-country promotional tours that typically accompany them—are widely regarded as an effective method for testing the waters for a potential presidential campaign, adding another layer of intrigue to the unfolding 2028 Republican succession battle.
