Story
Nov 13, 2026
Rubio and Vance lead Republicans as Ossoff and Buttigieg split Democrats
Republican voters appear to be weighing continuity with Donald Trump’s administration, while Democrats show an early split between a newly prominent senator and a more established former cabinet official. The Reuters/Ipsos findings suggest neither party has a settled 2028 successor yet.
The Reuters/Ipsos poll places Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Vice President J.D. Vance at the front of an early Republican contest to succeed President Donald Trump, who cannot seek another term under the constitutional two-term limit. Among Republican respondents, 45% rated Rubio an “excellent” presidential candidate, compared with 43% for Vance.1
The narrow gap reflects two different claims to Trump’s political legacy. Rubio, a former Florida senator and 2016 presidential primary candidate, has raised his profile through foreign-policy work, particularly on Cuba and Venezuela. Vance, formerly an Ohio senator, is identified in the survey coverage with Trump’s immigration and economic agenda. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis remains in contention but trails both, with 32% calling him an excellent candidate.2
For Republicans, the central question is who can preserve the coalition built around Trump while the party responds to recent electoral setbacks and voter concerns about living costs and foreign conflict. Trump has said he may not necessarily endorse anyone in the party’s primary, leaving the early standings far from a formal succession plan.
Democrats, meanwhile, have no comparable front-runner. Georgia Senator Jon Ossoff and former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg each received an “excellent candidate” rating from 29% of Democratic voters. Ossoff’s recent reelection victory in Georgia has elevated his national standing, though 40% of Democratic respondents said they had never heard of him.1
Buttigieg brings a different advantage: experience in the 2020 presidential primaries and a federal cabinet role. The coverage portrays him as a more moderate figure, contrasting with the party’s progressive wing. Former Vice President Kamala Harris and California Governor Gavin Newsom each stood at 23%, while Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez registered 15%.2
Taken together, the poll shows a closer Republican contest centered on competing heirs to Trump’s agenda, while Democrats remain divided between recognition, recent electoral momentum and differing ideological approaches.