The Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) unveiled the findings of its annual straw poll at the event in Grapevine, Texas, where over 1,600 attendees shared their preferences for the 2028 Republican presidential nomination.
Leading the poll was Vice President JD Vance, who garnered 53 percent of the votes. Secretary of State Marco Rubio trailed with 35 percent.
Other candidates struggled for support, with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and Donald Trump Jr. each receiving just 2 percent. This indicates a strong consolidation of support around Vance and Rubio.
Vance and Rubio accounted for a combined total of 88 percent of the votes, indicating a clear two-candidate race at this point.
Comparing this poll to the previous CPAC straw poll in 2025, notable changes are apparent.
Vance had a more robust support base in 2025, sitting at 61 percent, which is eight points higher than now. Conversely, Rubio saw an impressive jump from approximately 3 percent last year to his current position.
In the earlier poll, other figures like Steve Bannon and Governor DeSantis had more significant slices of the pie, with Bannon at 12 percent and DeSantis at about 7 percent, both numbers significantly lower in the latest poll.
Even for a non-presidential election year, the 2026 poll attracted record participation.
2026 CPAC STRAW POLL: GOP PRIMARY
🟥 JD Vance: 53% (-8)
🟥 Marco Rubio: 35% (+33)
🟥 Ron DeSantis: 2% (-5)
🟥 Trump Jr: 2%
🟥 Ted Cruz: 1%
🟥 Pete Hegseth: 1%
🟥 Rand Paul: 1%
🟥 Tulsi Gabbard: 1%(+/- shift vs 2025 CPAC Straw Poll)
McLaughlin | 3/28/2026 pic.twitter.com/OeZDEArphZ
— InteractivePolls (@IAPolls2022) March 29, 2026
National polling trends for the 2028 Republican nomination complement the CPAC findings. Various surveys, including one by Daily Mail/JL Partners, show Vance leading with approximately 50 percent among GOP primary voters, with Rubio trailing at around 17 percent.
Another poll places Vance at 36 percent, ahead of Trump Jr. at 19 percent and Rubio at 9 percent. While Vance enjoys a substantive lead, Rubio has been gaining traction, especially among independent-leaning Republicans in states with early primaries.
