WJ Straw Poll: Rubio Holds Lead as Massie, Trump, and Flynn Gain Ground
The Western Journal’s GOP 2028 Presidential Straw Poll indicates that Secretary of State Marco Rubio remains the leading candidate, though his support has decreased slightly from the previous week, down to 37%. Vice President J.D. Vance ranks second with 26.2%, a slight decline from 29.1%. The poll also shows increased support for Rep. Thomas Massie (13.7%) and President donald Trump (9.6%), despite Trump not running for the 2028 race due to term limits. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis gained modestly to 7%. Rubio continues to be the favored choice among respondents, with ongoing tracking of voter sentiment to gauge the primary race trends. The poll is non-scientific and aims to engage conservative supporters ahead of potential official voting.
The latest Western Journal GOP 2028 Presidential Straw Poll found Secretary of State Marco Rubio continuing to lead the field, although his lead narrowed from the previous week.
Our poll from the week of Sept. 7-13 showed Rubio received 37 percent of the vote this past week, maintaining the top position but declining 4 points from the week prior.
Vice President J.D. Vance finished second with 26.2 percent, which was down 2.9 percent from last week’s 29.1 percent.
The votes are in! 🇺🇸 Here’s this week’s GOP 2028 straw poll (Sept 7th-13th):
Marco Rubio – 37%
JD Vance – 26.2%
Thomas Massie – 13.7%
Donald J. Trump – 9.6%
Ron DeSantis – 7%
Other – 4.1%
Cast your vote for this week’s poll at The Western Journal’s… pic.twitter.com/ibBrUa8mxC— The Western Journal (@WesternJournalX) September 14, 2026
The latest result leaves Vance 10.8 percent behind Rubio, compared with an 11.9-point gap the previous week.
Rubio and Vance have repeatedly exchanged positions near the top of The Western Journal’s weekly survey throughout the past year.
Rep. Thomas Massie, a Republican from Kentucky, recorded the largest increase among the leading candidates, rising to 13.7 percent, an increase of 1.7 percent.
President Donald Trump received 9.6 percent this past week, gaining 2.2 points from the previous week’s 7.4 percent.
Trump is constitutionally limited to his current two elected terms and is not a candidate for another presidential term in 2028, but he has continued to receive support in the weekly straw poll.
Meanwhile, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis also gained slightly, moving to 7 percent, which was up from last week’s 6.3 percent.
🇺🇸 The votes are counted — here’s this week’s GOP 2028 straw poll:
Marco Rubio – 41%
JD Vance – 29.1%
Thomas Massie – 12%
Donald J. Trump – 7.4%
Ron DeSantis – 6.3%
Other – 4.2%Did you get who you wanted?
Submit a new vote each week at The Western Journal’s… pic.twitter.com/W2YU4AHNRA
— The Western Journal (@WesternJournalX) September 7, 2026
Former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn also placed this week after he received 2.4 percent of the vote.
Candidates receiving less than 2 percent support are grouped into the “Other” category, which slipped to 4.1 percent from last week’s 4.3 percent.
The latest results show Rubio remains the leading choice among respondents in our non-scientific poll.
The Western Journal will continue tracking reader sentiment about the race until Republican primary voters have the opportunity to cast actual ballots.
We would like to hear from you and other voices in the conservative movement.
If you would like to make your voice heard in this week’s survey, you can do so by clicking the link here.
Advertise with The Western Journal and reach millions of highly engaged readers, while supporting our work. Advertise Today.
" Conservative News Daily does not always share or support the views and opinions expressed here; they are just those of the writer."
*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases
