'He Sold His Soul': Voters Are Souring on JD Vance for 2028 and Marco Rubio Is Picking Up the Momentum

The 2028 race is has started to take shape according to reports, and inside Republican circles, the conversation is shifting. For months, JD Vance looked like the obvious heir to Donald Trump. Vance had institutional support, name recognition and a compelling personal narrative. But lately, something else is happening.

The attention is gradually drifting toward Marco Rubio, and the difference between Rubio and Vance is drawing increasing comment from voters. According to The Atlantic, Vance has had a stretch of high-profile moments that have kept him in the spotlight, but not always in the way campaigns would hope.

The dispute with Pope Leo XIV over theological statements added to the scrutiny. There was the moment he was heckled at a Turning Point USA event. Then came his trip to Hungary, where he campaigned alongside Prime Minister Viktor Orbán just days before Orbán’s election loss. Each moment added to the conversation. Then came the situation around the war in Iran.

Trump placed Vance at the center of peace talks related to the Iran conflict, but the negotiations quickly broke down, according to reports. The president was later seen at a UFC event alongside Rubio, a juxtaposition that drew comment from political observers.

As these moments stacked up, voter reactions began to paint a clearer picture. "Marco Rubio, I think, is an amazing dude," said Ken, a Biden 2020/Trump 2024 voter from Georgia. "If anybody is left that we can see on the TV or C-SPAN that’s just genuine," he said, calling Rubio "a family man and still a stand-up politician."

Similar views showed up elsewhere. Boris from Texas described Rubio as "a real statesman in my eyes." Steve from Florida said: "Marco Rubio, my former senator, is doing great as secretary of state. He will be a great president, too." And Andrea from Georgia added: "Marco Rubio's been, like, killing it." At the same time, reactions to Vance have been more mixed.

The Atlantic reported that "inauthenticity is a kiss of death with today's voters" and suggested Vance's prospects are dimming. Andrew, a voter from Pennsylvania, said: "I loved his backstory. I read and liked Hillbilly Elegy." But he added, "Since he’s entered politics, I don’t have a clear sense of what he personally stands for."

Another voter, Adam from California, described a similar shift in perception. "He seemed like an interesting figure," he said. But then added: "I think the well is poisoned. I think that he sold his soul in a way, and he’s adopting the divisive, dismissive stance that his boss does, to curry favor, secure his position. So unfortunately, he revealed a part of himself that there’s no returning from."

Meanwhile, Rubio’s position inside the administration has kept him in view. As secretary of state, Rubio has been involved in key foreign policy developments, which have raised his profile during major international moments. That visibility is now feeding into early 2028 talk.

It’s still early. No campaigns have officially begun. No candidates have declared. But the conversation is already moving, and voters are already weighing what they’re seeing. The early dynamics of the 2028 race remain fluid, with no candidates declared and the political landscape still evolving.