Weekly Straw Poll: Vance Holds a Commanding Lead, But Other Candidates Get a Boost
The Western Journal conducted a straw poll from October 6-12, asking readers whom they would support if the 2028 Republican primary were held today. Vice President J.D. Vance leads decisively with 53.5% of the vote, though this is a slight decline from his previous 62.1%.Former President Donald Trump came in second with 13.1%,showing a modest increase from last week’s 12.2%, despite being term-limited. Other notable candidates include Rep. Thomas Massie with 10.1%, Florida secretary of State Marco Rubio at 7.9%, and governor Ron DeSantis with 5.2%. The “Other” category, representing candidates with less than 2% support, rose to 10.2%. the poll indicates strong support among conservative voters for a Trump-vance ticket, while also showing growing interest in other Republican figures as the 2028 primary approaches. The Western Journal plans to continue tracking these preferences in upcoming polls.
The Western Journal asked readers again this week: If the 2028 Republican primary were held today, who would you support?
Vice President J.D. Vance continues to dominate the field, although his lead dipped slightly compared to last week’s poll.
Vance received 53.5 percent of the vote in this week’s straw poll, which was conducted Oct. 6-12 and drew 14,925 responses.
That is a dip from the 62.1 percent total he recorded last week, when his support had reached its highest level since The Western Journal began gauging readers about the 2028 primary.
President Donald Trump finished second once again, with 13.1 percent of respondents’ support while being term-limited.
That number for the president represents a moderate boost from the 12.2 percent he earned in last week’s straw poll.
Both remain far ahead of the rest of the field, underscoring the continued dominance of the Trump-Vance ticket among conservative voters.
Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky surged to 10.1 percent this week, a notable jump from 7.3 percent in the previous survey.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio finished with 7.9 percent of support — a rebound for the former senator and 2016 GOP presidential candidate.
Rubio’s total of support last week had fallen to 6.6 percent.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis saw a small gain this week, moving from 5.0 percent to 5.2 percent.
The “Other” category came in at 10.2 percent, up from 6.8 percent last week, showing a small resurgence of interest in alternative GOP figures. Candidates with less than 2.0 percent of the total votes are grouped into this category.
Altogether, the data suggests most conservatives are largely pleased with the two candidates whose names were on the ticket last November, while there is also enthusiasm for other potential contenders.
Even with a nine-point decline, Vance maintains an overwhelming lead of more than 40 percentage points over Trump, the next closest candidate.
The Western Journal’s non-scientific reader survey continues to reflect high confidence in the Trump administration.
Together, Vance and Trump captured over two-thirds of this week’s total responses.
The Western Journal straw poll will continue to track conservatives’ preferences as the 2028 cycle takes shape.
If you would like to participate in this week’s straw poll, you can do so by clicking here. Participants may vote only once per week.
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