Vice President JD Vance Wins CPAC 2026 Straw Poll for 2028 Nomination with 53% Support
The results, announced Saturday, March 28, 2026, at the annual gathering in Grapevine, Texas, came from more than 1,600 respondents.
RWTNews Staff
GRAPEVINE, Texas – Vice President JD Vance won the 2026 Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) presidential straw poll with 53% of the vote, securing the top spot for the second consecutive year as the preferred 2028 Republican nominee among attendees.
The results, announced Saturday, March 28, 2026, at the annual gathering in Grapevine, Texas, came from more than 1,600 respondents. Secretary of State Marco Rubio placed second with a strong 35% showing — a sharp increase from just 3% in last year’s poll. No other candidate received more than 2%, with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Donald Trump Jr. tying for third at 2% each. Other names, including Sens. Ted Cruz and Rand Paul, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, each received 1% or less.
Vance’s 53% support marked a decline from his dominant 61% win in the 2025 CPAC straw poll, reflecting Rubio’s rising profile within conservative circles amid his high-visibility role in the Trump administration.
CPAC organizers described the poll as a key indicator of grassroots conservative sentiment heading into the post-Trump era. The event, one of the largest annual gatherings of Republican activists and lawmakers, featured discussions on the administration’s agenda, border security, and foreign policy.
Vance did not attend this year’s conference, but his consistent lead underscores his strong standing with the conservative base. The straw poll, while informal and non-binding, often highlights early frontrunners in the GOP presidential field.