Vice President JD Vance delivered a keynote address Thursday night at the Republican midterm convention in Dallas, drawing chants of support for a potential 2028 presidential run. The 40-minute speech emphasized his personal story and attacked Democrats, while Secretary of State Marco Rubio, seen as a potential rival, was absent from the event and stated he had 'no plans at this time' to run for the White House in 2028.
Vance uses Dallas Republican convention keynote to position himself as potential Trump successor
Vice President JD Vance delivered a keynote address Thursday night at the Republican midterm convention in Dallas, drawing chants of support for a potential 2028 presidential run. The 40-minute speech emphasized his personal story and attacked Democrats, while Secretary of State Marco Rubio, seen as a potential rival, was absent from the event and stated he had 'no plans at this time' to run for the White House in 2028.
The two-day Republican convention in Dallas was organized by President Trump, who delivered the opening address on the first day and a closing 25-minute address after Vance spoke on the final day. Trump told attendees to 'pretend I'm on the ballot' and led them in a pledge of allegiance to himself, while speakers throughout the event praised the president.
Vance's speech differed stylistically from Trump's typical approach. While Trump used what the New York Post described as his signature 'weave' of freewheeling remarks, Vance largely adhered to prepared text, delivering what Reuters characterized as 'a presidential nominating convention speech.' His address emphasized his personal life, including recent mention of his fourth child's birth and tribute to Charlie Kirk on the anniversary of his assassination.
A significant moment came when a protester interrupted Vance's speech while waving a Mexican flag. Vance responded by telling the protester: 'My friend, if you love Mexico so much, get your ass over there. I'll buy you the plane ticket,' according to Boston.com, and later added comments about the protester being 'the symbol of the far left,' according to the New York Post. Multiple sources report this unscripted exchange generated enthusiastic crowd response.
Vance addressed fractures within the Republican coalition over the Iran war, a topic described as 'particularly sensitive' for him given that he endorsed Trump in 2023 partly on an anti-war platform. He told attendees: 'Do not throw the baby out with the bathwater. Don't give the country over to a bunch of crazy people because you happen to disagree with us on a policy issue here or there,' according to Boston.com.
Trump has not publicly endorsed either Vance or Rubio as his successor, though the Independent reports he has privately told party donors: 'At the end of the day, we need to elect JD.' The Independent also reports that Trump has asked conservatives behind the scenes whether they prefer Vance or Rubio, and that Rubio has 'politely indicated he would not run as a challenger to the VP.' Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One that Vance had done 'very well' and was a 'very talented guy,' according to the Independent.
Rubio, 55, did not attend the Dallas convention. Instead, the Independent reports he was touring South America, where he gave an interview to Colombia's RCN stating: 'I don't know what the future holds, but I have no plans at this time. I'm not a candidate for anything right now. And I'm 100 percent focused on my job.' An unnamed insider told NBC News that Rubio 'loves being secretary of state and is really enjoying the job' but would probably be interested in running in 2032 or 2036.
Other names mentioned as potential 2028 Republican candidates include Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Texas Senator Ted Cruz. The Independent reports Trump said of Hegseth in late August: 'I think he's doing a fantastic job, but it's very early to talk about that.' On the Democratic side, Kamala Harris has been mentioned as a potential nominee but has refused to commit, while betting markets favor California Governor Gavin Newsom, New York Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and Georgia Senator Jon Ossoff.
Trump used the convention to promise attendees $5,000 checks if Republicans retain control of both the House and Senate in November. The Independent reports some have called this 'a bribe' and noted it would cost $1.3 trillion. Trump also called on attendees to pledge allegiance to his cause or 'go to hell,' according to the Independent.
After the convention, Vance joined the four previous presidents — Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Barack Obama and Joe Biden — in New York City to observe the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks at Ground Zero, according to the Independent. Trump spent the time at the Pentagon instead.
- Whether Vance has privately indicated to Trump or party officials whether he intends to run in 2028 or has definitively ruled it out
- Specific details about what other policy positions Vance avoided or did not address beyond Iran and tariffs
- Trump's public rationale for the convention structure and timing, beyond stating he demanded the party fund and organize it
- Democratic party response or commentary on the Republican convention or Vance's positioning
- Polling data comparing Vance's standing versus Rubio or other potential successors, though Boston.com notes he is described as the 'undisputed front-runner'
- Details about the substance of Vance's tribute to Charlie Kirk and the nature of the event being commemorated
- Whether Vance or Trump addressed specific policy disagreements within the base over the Iran war beyond general appeals for unity
- Boston.com — original — by New York Times Service
- The Independent — by Joe Sommerlad
- New York Post — by Ryan King, Julia Joseph
Read the original at Boston.com