A 'surprising' rival to Vice President JD Vance in the early race for the 2028 Republican presidential nomination has emerged, according to a campaign expert.
Vance has long been seen as the heir to Donald Trump's MAGA movement, but Secretary of State Marco Rubio has reportedly seen a groundswell of support among party activists and early voting states.
CNN analyst Eric Bradner said Rubio, who has become a member of Trump's trusted inner circle, polls particularly well in Iowa.
He added that the former Florida senator is in with a shot at cultivating the support he needs to lead the MAGA movement in life after Trump.
'I was a little surprised during a recent visit to Iowa how frequently the name of Secretary of State Marco Rubio came up, often in the same breath as JD Vance,' he said.
