A year ago, Marco Rubio barely registered in the Conservative Political Action Conference's informal survey of potential 2028 presidential contenders. This time around, 35% of attendees at the gathering outside Dallas picked him as their preferred next nominee - a dramatic leap that signals a shifting mood inside the Republican base.
Rubio still trailed Vice President JD Vance, who won the CPAC straw poll for the second time with 53%, "Hvylya" reports, citing CNN. But Vance's number dropped eight points from 61% last year, while no other potential candidate broke 2% in the roughly 1,600-person survey.
The result fuels speculation about a budding rivalry between two of Donald Trump's closest allies. Rubio has taken a visible role in the administration's most consequential foreign policy moves - from Venezuela and Cuba to the military strikes on Iran - while Vance has operated more behind the scenes. Some supporters have questioned where the vice president stands on the decision to strike Iran and kill top regime officials, including Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
"I was a little skeptical when Trump picked Rubio, but man, he has knocked it out of the park," said Jessica Luebbers, a Trump supporter who attended the conference. "It's amazing how much he's had on his plate."
Vance retains a loyal base of his own. William Augustine, a Dallas-area attendee, said the vice president's biography resonated with Americans often overlooked by the political establishment. "I think he speaks to a lot of people in the country that maybe other people would pass off," Augustine said.
Many attendees already envision a joint Vance-Rubio ticket. "They are the men for the hour," said Maxine Cunnyngham of Oklahoma, "and they are positioned right now in the government where they are learning everything they don't already know." The survey included about 1,600 participants and is not considered representative of the broader Republican electorate.
Also read: "Hvylya" earlier explored why Iran's real test lies ahead - not on the battlefield.