Trump’s Successors*
*Editor’s note: On March 4, 2022, Russia enacted a law that criminalizes public opposition to, or independent news reporting about, the war in Ukraine. The law makes it a crime to call the war a “war” rather than a “special military operation” on social media or in a news article or broadcast. The law is understood to penalize any language that “discredits” Russia’s use of its military in Ukraine, calls for sanctions or protests Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. It punishes anyone found to spread “false information” about the invasion with up to 15 years in prison.
The possibility of Donald Trump running for a third presidential term remains a hot topic in U.S. politics, largely fueled by the sitting president himself, who frequently comments on the idea. However, most U.S. pollsters largely dismiss this scenario as unlikely. They are currently more focused on evaluating the top contenders to succeed Trump. The suspense over his possible successor in the 2028 election promises to be a key theme in U.S. politics.
What makes this situation particularly notable is that the Republican Party appears to have finally overcome the leadership crisis that has plagued it since 2008. The GOP National Committee now has several prominent players to choose from, each well positioned to take on the Democratic nominee in the next race.
The top contender at the moment is U.S. Vice President JD Vance. Still quite young by American political standards, Vance enjoys the highest level of support among Republican voters, making him the unofficial front runner in the emerging field of Trump successors. According to a July 15 poll by Echelon Insights, 42% of respondents said they would back Vance. A separate poll by Atlas Intel, published July 18, showed his support at a record-breaking 57.9%.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis ranks second. Like Vance, he’s also relatively young, but currently lags behind the sitting vice president. The Echelon Insights poll puts DeSantis at just 9%, while Atlas Intel places him at 13.2%. It’s worth noting, though, that during the 2024 campaign, DeSantis withdrew early and endorsed Trump. It is a move that may earn him goodwill in the new race.
Third on the list is Secretary of State and National Security Advisor Marco Rubio. According to Echelon Insights, Rubio has 7% support, while the Atlas Intel poll gives him 9.7%. Despite the lower numbers, Rubio remains a significant player, especially in the realm of U.S. foreign policy.
Other potential Trump successors are Donald Trump Jr., entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, Texas Senator Ted Cruz, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
The author, Maksim Minaev, Ph.D. in Political Science, is head of the Foreign Policy Research Department at the Center for Political Studies.
The possibility of Donald Trump running for a third presidential term remains a hot topic in U.S. politics, largely fueled by the sitting president himself, who frequently comments on the idea. However, most U.S. pollsters largely dismiss this scenario as unlikely. They are currently more focused on evaluating the top contenders to succeed Trump. The suspense over his possible successor in the 2028 election promises to be a key theme in U.S. politics.
What makes this situation particularly notable is that the Republican Party appears to have finally overcome the leadership crisis that has plagued it since 2008. The GOP National Committee now has several prominent players to choose from, each well positioned to take on the Democratic nominee in the next race.
The top contender at the moment is U.S. Vice President JD Vance. Still quite young by American political standards, Vance enjoys the highest level of support among Republican voters, making him the unofficial front runner in the emerging field of Trump successors. According to a July 15 poll by Echelon Insights, 42% of respondents said they would back Vance. A separate poll by Atlas Intel, published July 18, showed his support at a record-breaking 57.9%.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis ranks second. Like Vance, he’s also relatively young, but currently lags behind the sitting vice president. The Echelon Insights poll puts DeSantis at just 9%, while Atlas Intel places him at 13.2%. It’s worth noting, though, that during the 2024 campaign, DeSantis withdrew early and endorsed Trump. It is a move that may earn him goodwill in the new race.
Third on the list is Secretary of State and National Security Advisor Marco Rubio. According to Echelon Insights, Rubio has 7% support, while the Atlas Intel poll gives him 9.7%. Despite the lower numbers, Rubio remains a significant player, especially in the realm of U.S. foreign policy.
Other potential Trump successors are Donald Trump Jr., entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, Texas Senator Ted Cruz, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
The author, Maksim Minaev, Ph.D. in Political Science, is head of the Foreign Policy Research Department at the Center for Political Studies.
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