The Battle to Lead the MAGA Movement Kicks Off at GOP Convention

The Wall Street Journal ^ | Updated Sept. 11, 2026 10:04 am ET | Alex Leary , Natalie Andrews and Sabrina Rodriguez

[E. Pluribus Unum]

Vice president increasingly looks like presidential candidate, but some Republicans want Marco Rubio

DALLAS—Vice President JD Vance looked very much like a presidential candidate-in-waiting at the Republican convention this week. He delivered a prime-time address, met with delegates from battleground states and headlined a high-dollar fundraiser with GOP donors.

Vance’s Thursday night speech fired up the crowd, as he laid out his vision for the America he wants his children to grow up in, while painting Democrats as extreme. During the speech, audience members said the quiet part out loud, shouting “48!” Donald Trump is the 47th U.S. president, and the next one will be the 48th.

The moment is likely to solidify Vance’s rising status as the Republican front-runner heading into the 2028 election. “I think the country is really getting to know him,” said Michael Foster, 32 years old, of Raleigh, N.C. “I’d be shocked if he hadn’t sealed the deal tonight.”

Yet over the duration of the two-day convention, another name also surfaced: Marco Rubio. The secretary of state was more than 3,000 miles away, wrapping up a diplomatic tour of South America.

In more than three dozen interviews on the sidelines of the convention, many people mentioned Vance and Rubio in the same breath, openly debating which man should be at the top of the ticket in 2028. Some said they should run together. Others held out hope that Trump would defy the Constitution and run for a third term, or that he would campaign as...

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[iamgalt]

I’m hoping Rubio runs. I don’t entirely trust him but he is by far the strongest we have for 28. We must win 28, must. He will have a hard time in the primary.

[ek_hornbeck]

The 2028 Republican primaries will be a race between Vance, who represents nationalism and populism - and thus MAGA if MAGA can claim to be at all coherent ideologically - versus Gang of Eight Marco Rubio, who represents the neoconservative wing of the GOP in the tradition of Bush, McCain, and Lindsey Graham.

Fortunately, we've all seen how the lightweight Rubio implodes when unscripted, so all it would take is for someone like Vance or DeSantis to put him in his place in another debate.

[TTFX]

Rubio is not MAGA. He proposed an amnesty bill in the Senate and is a neocon.

[bray]

Guess most of us did not see the division the WSJ saw. Tough being a Bushie in a MAGA world.

[Opinionated Blowhard]

These articles pop up every time a president with a following is about to leave the stage. Who is going to inherit the mantle? It happened with Reagan. It happened in a strange sense with Bush in that the Tea Party was created out of frustration with the Bush-Boehner-Cantor-Frist-McConnell GOP. Who was going to ride the Tea Party wave? Now its MAGA. One thing is for certain - MAGA is going to evolve into something else just like every other movement did. Reagan’s movement conservatism was extremely strong and looking back, its bizarre to think that the two prime candidates to inherit the mantle were George Bush Sr. and Bob Dole. Then Jeb Bush of all people thought he was going to position himself as the Tea Party candidate. But Donald Trump blew Tea Party libertarianism out of the water with populist MAGA. The one thing that is for certain is that we aren’t going to be able to predict where GOP politics will be 4 or 6 years from now. Will it be more of the same populist MAGA? I doubt it.

[ek_hornbeck]

Suppose Rubio wins the nomination and eventually the Presidency, and then goes on to sign an amnesty bill giving permanent residency to millions of illegal immigrants.

Will his supporters here pretend it never happened (as they've all seemingly forgotten about his Gang of Eight days), or make excuses for it by saying "they do the work Americans won't do...it's good for the economy"? Perhaps both, just like the people who made excuses for George W. Bush.

[TTFX]

The GOP nominated McCain and Mitt Romney, so, sadly, nominating Rubio will be its typical behavior.

[Zathras]

When does the WSJ pick Jeb?

[rktman]

It didn’t go unnoticed that he was absent from the midcon. 🤔

[mmichaels1970]

Will his supporters here pretend it never happened (as they've all seemingly forgotten about his Gang of Eight days), or make excuses for it by saying "they do the work Americans won't do...it's good for the economy"? Perhaps both, just like the people who made excuses for George W. Bush.

There IS a third option...They criticize him and say he is wrong.

[Hyman Roth]

When does the WSJ pick Jeb?

When he discounts his guacamole bowls.

[thefactor]

I want Rubio. Vance has a LOT of work to do to get my vote. He may not even want my vote. If that’s the case he can GFH.

[pburiak]

Please clap...

[jch10]

I’m still leery of Rubio. I’m for Vance, then, Rubio, if he proves himself worthy. Marco disappointed us in Florida and I haven’t forgotten.

[Candor7]

Vancde is a pu$$y compared to Rubio.

Rubio is handling 4 portfolios and acing it.

Vance spends his time posturing.

I support Rubio.He is TRump’s right hand man along with Scott Bessant.

[thegagline]

Lee Zeldin for the win!

[Georgia Girl 2]

I think JD Vance is far from a lock as the next GOP nominee. His resume is almost non existent and so many people suddenly want to elect him president. Why? What has he done? What great accomplishments can he point to?

We need a vigorous 2028 Republic nomination competition. 4-5 good candidates competing for the nomination. I’m not interested in a coronation.

[Flaming Conservative]

It’s going to be a tough choice if Vance, Rubio, and DeSantis all attempt to be no.inated. Personally, I’m leaning toward a Rubio/DeSantis ticket. I like Vance, but there’s something about him that makes me uncomfortable, and I can’t put my finger on it.

[batazoid]

I agree with you, but he insists that he will not challenge Vance, which I believe is a mistake on his part, as it demonstrates a lack of leadership. Perhaps we can help him address this issue. Additionally, Rubio is a natural-born citizen since his parents were permanent residents when he was born in Florida.