The man who leads the field for the 2028 Republican presidential nomination says he may not enter the race at all. Vice President JD Vance raised that possibility in front of a live audience in Michigan.
Speaking at a CBS News town hall, Vance told the crowd that a “chance” exists he will not seek the party’s nomination. He did not announce a final decision in either direction.
Family sits at the center of his thinking.
Vance pointed to his young children as one factor, and he acknowledged that his wife does not like politics. He said he may ultimately decide against a run.
“Of course there’s a chance,” Vance said. “We’ve got four little kids, my wife has never loved politics. She loves public service.”
In that answer, Vance cited the number of children in his household, his wife’s views on politics, and her interest in public service.
He drew a line between the two, describing her as someone who values service even though she has not embraced politics itself.
Vance then described how he views his current job.
“I think, you know, you can do a lot of good in this job, and I’ve tried to do as much good as possible,” he added.
The vice president framed his time in office as an opportunity to accomplish good, and he said he has tried to do as much of it as he can.
Vance said he has yet to make a decision. He joked that he tends to put off major life choices, and he described himself as a procrastinator when big questions arise.
“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 quipped.
Vance and his wife, Usha, are raising four children. Their youngest was born in July. The couple’s other children are 9, 6, and 4 years old.
Usha Vance has spoken about her husband’s political career before.
She addressed the subject in a March interview with NBC News, where she discussed her relationship with that career.
“I’m not his staffer. I’m not involved in this in any professional sense,” Usha said.
She made clear she does not serve on her husband’s team and holds no professional role in his political work.
She went on to say there was “no exception” that she and her husband would “see eye to eye on everything.”
Usha Vance also pointed to a possible date for more clarity.
“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 added.
Events outside the family could factor in as well. Republicans are seeking to retain control of both the House of Representatives and the Senate in the November midterm elections.
Those results will likely influence the administration’s popularity heading into the 2028 Republican primaries.
Vance’s uncertainty has not cost him his place at the front of the pack. He remains the top contender to succeed Trump as the Republican nominee.
The RealClearPolitics average of Republican presidential nomination polls shows Vance leading the field.
His advantage over Secretary of State Marco Rubio stands at 15 points. Vance holds that lead even as he declines to commit to a campaign.
Rubio has drawn speculation that he will run. The secretary of state has not confirmed whether he will enter the race.
As it stands, Vance has announced no decision on 2028. He says a chance exists that he stays out, and Usha Vance says to check back in 2027.
