U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance is considering whether to run for president in 2028 after Republicans lost control of the House of Representatives and the Senate in the midterm elections on November 3. No decision has been made yet, and people close to him do not expect him to set a specific timeline for one.
According to CNN, cited by the Daily Mail, Vance faces a choice between his political ambitions, the fracturing coalition around the MAGA movement, and his responsibilities to his young family. Those close to the vice president believe the main obstacle to a potential campaign is the war with Iran and the question of whether any Republican will be able to win the 2028 election after Donald Trump’s administration.
“If they do not end the war in Iran, no Republican has a chance,” a member of Vance’s team told CNN. Another person close to the vice president said he would be surprised by any decision Vance makes, but noted that Vance is 42 years old and can sit out one unfavorable election cycle before entering the race again.
Public distancing from the war
On November 4, the day after the election, Vance wrote on the social network X: “The reason we lost is the war.” Administration officials viewed the post as an attempt to distance himself from the unpopular conflict.
The Associated Press reported that after the Republicans’ defeat, Trump tasked Vance with turning his attention to corruption and crime in Democrat-run cities and states rather than negotiations with Iran. According to the agency, the president wrote that the United States does not need an agreement with Tehran.
Two people familiar with Trump’s private remarks told CNN that the president was angry because Vance had not defended the decision to launch the military strike. A White House official, however, said Trump had been informed about the post in advance and did not object to it.
The political situation was further complicated by the president’s lack of unequivocal support. In an interview with 60 Minutes, Trump said he would probably, but not necessarily, support Vance if he ran. Vance, for his part, has publicly indicated that he expects the president’s backing.
Other Republicans are preparing
After the electoral loss in Washington, other potential candidates for the Republican Party nomination also began to emerge. They include Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, Texas Senator Ted Cruz, and Georgia Governor Brian Kemp.
“It would be a mistake for Vance to abandon his candidacy for the sake of short-term political expediency,” said Terry Schilling, president of the American Principles Project. In his view, it would be surprising for the vice president to stay out of the race.
Doubts about Vance’s plans intensified after the birth of his fourth child in the summer. People in the White House discussed the possibility of him postponing his campaign to focus on his family.
Meanwhile, the Vance-aligned donor network Rockbridge Network met in Houston to discuss its next steps. According to The Wall Street Journal, the vice president’s political future has been shaken, but he remains among the Republicans’ leading potential candidates.
Sources: dailymail.com, apnews.com, apple.news