US Vice President JD Vance has acknowledged that he may not run for president in 2028.
US Vice President JD Vance has acknowledged that he may not run for president in 2028, saying his wife, second lady Usha Vance, and their four young children will be part of the decision as he weighs his political future.“Of course there’s a chance,” Vance said during a CBS News town hall in Michigan, responding to the possibility of sitting out the next presidential election.“We’ve got four little kids; my wife has never loved politics. She loves public service,” Vance said, explaining why his family could play a role in the decision.The vice president said he had not made up his mind about a potential White House bid and described himself as a procrastinator when it comes to major life decisions, the New York Post reported.“The way that I think about life, big life decisions, my wife will tell you this: I’m a procrastinator. I hate thinking about it,” Vance said.Vance also highlighted the demands of his current role, saying he had tried to do as much good as possible as vice president.He indicated that he would give the 2028 question more serious consideration after the November midterm elections, rather than make an early commitment to a presidential campaign.
Vance leads early Republican race
Vance is widely viewed as an early frontrunner to become the Republican Party's presidential nominee after President Donald Trump. Trump has previously described his vice president as a likely successor, although he has also said it is too early to endorse a candidate for 2028.According to the RealClearPolling average cited by the New York Post, Vance leads Secretary of State Marco Rubio by 15 percentage points in the Republican primary race, with 39 per cent support.
Trump's eldest son, Donald Trump Jr, follows with 11 per cent.Despite the early polling advantage, Vance has yet to signal whether he intends to seek the presidency. His remarks suggest that family considerations and his current responsibilities could influence his decision.
Usha Vance's role in the decision
A presidential campaign would also bring a more prominent political role for Usha Vance, who has previously said that she and her husband do not always agree on political issues.In a March interview with NBC News, Usha said her views sometimes did not fit neatly into traditional political categories.“Sometimes I have thoughts that fit very comfortably into one side or another. Sometimes I have views that are way more idiosyncratic,” she said.She also described herself as a sounding board for her husband rather than someone involved in his political work.“I’m not his staffer. I’m not involved in this in any professional sense,” Usha said, adding that there was no expectation that the couple would agree on everything.The family welcomed its fourth child, a son named Alec, on July 19. The newborn joined the couple's three older children, Ewan, 9, Vivek, 6, and Mirabel, 4.Usha had said in March that a potential 2028 presidential campaign was not yet a priority for the family, with Vance focused on the midterm elections and the responsibilities of his current position.“If you come back in 2027 and ask me, I’ll have a better sense of, you know, what he’s thinking in that way,” she told NBC News.For now, Vance's decision remains open, even as he maintains an early lead over potential Republican rivals in polling for the next presidential election.