2028 Republican Party presidential primaries

Pfeiffer argues Vance is failing because he tries to appeal to every faction rather than choosing a side.

“you really have to pick a side. And he's trying to be all things to all people”

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Pfeiffer argued the war's main damage to Vance is ensuring Trump is very unpopular when Vance seeks to succeed him.

“I think the damage of the war to J.D. Vance is I think it has ensured that Donald Trump will be a very unpopular president”

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Pfeiffer said he believes the winning 2028 candidate will offer a version of Obama's unifying message rather than a liberal inverse of Trump.

“I 1000% believe that the winning 2028 candidate will be someone who offers a version of that message”

Pod Save America: LIVE(ish) from the Obama Presidential Center (Jun 19, 2026) · Listen from 13:16

Pfeiffer attributes Rubio's rise mainly to seeming more competent and normal than Vance and other cabinet members.

“I just think he is a Republican who might seem slightly more competent and normal than your average Trump cabinet member”

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Dillon predicts JD Vance, not Marco Rubio, will win the 2028 Republican presidential nomination.

“But they have other ways to make money. So I do think Vance will get the nomination”

The Joe Rogan Experience: #2518 - Tim Dillon (Jun 24, 2026) · Listen from 2:35:27

Haberman said that despite Trump's games, Vance remains the prohibitive frontrunner for the GOP succession.

“It's hard to look at the existing fundamentals of the modern Republican Party and the MAGA movement and not see how J.D. Vance is still very much the prohibitive frontrunner”

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Cooke says a centrist candidate harnessing populist energy could plausibly spoil, though not win, an election.

“it does seem possible to me that someone will come along in the middle, maybe using some of this populist energy and spoil an election”

The Megyn Kelly Show: Michelle Obama Upstages Barack, Euros Love America, and 2028 Rumblings, with Rich Lowry and Charles C.W. Cooke | Ep. 1341 (Jun 17, 2026) · Listen from 34:55

Lowry argues that fear of unified Democratic control, and of the reforms it could bring, will unify Republicans behind their nominee.

“there's going to be a serious attempt to eliminate the filibuster, impact the Supreme Court, and add states”

The Megyn Kelly Show: Michelle Obama Upstages Barack, Euros Love America, and 2028 Rumblings, with Rich Lowry and Charles C.W. Cooke | Ep. 1341 (Jun 17, 2026) · Listen from 31:27

Kelly predicts a third type of candidate, likely running as a Republican and possibly Tulsi Gabbard, will emerge in the 2028 race.

“I predict. There's going to be a third kind of candidate. And I think the person will probably run as a Republican. And I think it's going to be a Tulsi Gabbard”

The Megyn Kelly Show: Michelle Obama Upstages Barack, Euros Love America, and 2028 Rumblings, with Rich Lowry and Charles C.W. Cooke | Ep. 1341 (Jun 17, 2026) · Listen from 29:44

Sommer sees an open anti-war populist lane in 2028 and considers Carlson the media figure most likely to run.

“I think he's the one I see most likely as potentially running”

Pod Save America: The Splintering MAGA Media Rage Machine (Jun 7, 2026) · Listen from 14:15

Lovett says Vance likely has more influence in the Trump administration than Harris had under Biden.

“Vance probably has more power in the Trump administration than Kamala Harris did in the Biden administration, I would say”

Pod Save America: Trump and Pod Save America Agree: JD Is Lame (Jun 2, 2026) · Listen from 1:07:28

Vietor argues Trump benefits either way from his successor's fate, claiming credit for a win and blaming a loss on his absence.

“if they win, Trump will say, that's because of me. If they lose, he'll say, can't win without Trump”

Pod Save America: Trump and Pod Save America Agree: JD Is Lame (Jun 2, 2026) · Listen from 1:06:46