Vice President JD Vance visited Iowa on Tuesday in what was officially a campaign stop to support a vulnerable House Republican. But conversations at the event revealed an undercurrent of enthusiasm for a potential rival: Marco Rubio.
The trip was Vance’s first appearance in Iowa as vice president. The state carries particular weight in American politics, as its caucuses traditionally launch the presidential nominating process. With the 2028 contest on the horizon, the visit was widely seen as laying early groundwork for a future campaign.
Republicans reportedly praised Marco Rubio during JD Vance’s event
Despite the event being designed to showcase JD Vance, several Republican attendees volunteered their admiration for the secretary of state. Duane Lawrence, a 62-year-old retiree, told The New York Times, “I think Vance is great, but I think Rubio would be great, too.” Another retiree, from the lumber industry, Jim Edmonson, shared a similar view. “Marco Rubio’s a great alternative — I like them both extremely well,” he stated.
Merle Miller of Cedar Rapids went further. “I’ll be honest with you,” Miller said. “Between JD Vance and Marco Rubio, I love Marco Rubio. JD Vance, Marco Rubio would be a phenomenal team.” The comments show a quiet divide among Republicans eager for a robust ideological debate over the party’s future. Issues like government spending and foreign policy, which were largely subdued during Donald Trump’s last two campaigns, remain points of contention within the MAGA movement.
Early polling positions JD Vance as the clear front-runner for the Republican nomination in 2028. Yet broader public opinion presents a challenge. According to the most recent Washington Post/ABC News/Ipsos poll, Vance holds an approval rating of 35 percent, while 48 percent of respondents disapprove of his performance.
Marco Rubio has publicly stated he would defer to Vance. “I’ll be one of the first people to support him,” he said last year.
Originally reported by Devanshi Basu on Mandatory.
