Vice President J.D. Vance received overwhelming support for a potential 2028 presidential run during a live taping of The Megyn Kelly Show in Fort Worth, Texas, earlier this week. The event, part of Kelly’s national tour, featured several prominent conservative figures and drew a large audience to Dickies Arena.
During the discussion, which was released Friday as a podcast episode, Kelly and her guests debated the political landscape looking ahead to the 2028 election.
Panelists included media host Glenn Beck and political analyst Mark Halperin, among others.
The conversation turned to Vice President Vance’s prospects as a future presidential candidate and his standing within the Republican Party as President Donald Trump’s running mate and second-in-command.
Kelly noted that President Trump has occasionally mentioned both Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio when asked about potential successors but questioned whether any other candidate could seriously challenge the vice president in a Republican primary.
“Trump gets asked this question, he says, yeah JD, yes, or Marco. He always throws Marco in there, who we love. But is there realistically any way that Marco gets it over JD?” Kelly asked.
Halperin then turned to the audience to gauge their views.
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“I’m going to ask you all to vote by show of hands. If you’re uncomfortable voting in front of the others, you can close your eyes as you vote. Raise your hand if you’d like JD Vance to be the nominee,” he said.
The response was immediate.
The audience erupted into cheers, and a wave of raised hands filled the arena.
Halperin followed up by asking who would prefer another candidate.
“Okay, next to no one, right?” he said after observing only a few hands raised in the crowd.
Halperin noted the unprecedented level of enthusiasm for a sitting vice president so far ahead of an election cycle.
He compared Vance’s position within the Republican Party to past vice presidents who struggled to consolidate early support.
“There’s never been a situation like this,” Halperin said.
“Incumbent vice president, Bush 41, Reagan’s vice president. Not only did Reagan not endorse him until after the nomination fight was over, but literally at the endorsement event, you can go watch it on YouTube on C-SPAN, he called him, ‘I’m here to endorse my vice president, George Bosch.’ So he mispronounced his name.”
Halperin continued, referencing other administrations.
“Clinton made his life miserable. When Biden was vice president, Obama said, ‘sorry, I’m endorsing Hillary.’ We’ve never had an incumbent vice president with the full support to do all the things he does — overseas trips, domestic trips, political operation, finance chair of the Republican National Committee.”
“He doesn’t have an enemy I can find…I don’t see anyone’s thinking they could beat him in a primary…”
@markhalperin on why JD Vance is the likely next President… and JB Pritzker definitely isn’t.Watch below, and subscribe:https://t.co/Y12z2uKGMb pic.twitter.com/gesNvWsHpg
— The Megyn Kelly Show (@MegynKellyShow) October 31, 2025
Polling data supports the sentiment expressed at the Fort Worth event.
According to the RealClearPolitics polling average, Vice President Vance currently holds a dominant lead in early 2028 hypothetical matchups, with an advantage of 36.7 percentage points over his nearest potential challenger.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who mounted an unsuccessful campaign for the presidency in 2024, trails with 10.3 percent support.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio follows at 9.3 percent.
Rubio has publicly praised Vance’s leadership and suggested he would support him should he pursue the presidency.
Speaking to Fox News in July, Rubio said, “Well I think J.D. Vance would be a great nominee. And if, you know, if he decides he wants to do that. And so, you know, I think he’s doing a great job as vice president. He’s a close friend and I hope he intends to do it.”
The discussion in Fort Worth highlighted the growing confidence among conservatives in Vice President Vance’s political trajectory as President Trump’s second term progresses.
With strong polling, early public enthusiasm, and support from key Republican figures, Vance’s potential candidacy is shaping up as a dominant force ahead of the 2028 election cycle.
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