Polls show who GA Republicans see as 2028 president. Is it Rubio, Kemp or another Trump?
It may be unfathomable to imagine, but some intrepid pollsters at McLaughlin & Associates are already thinking about the 2028 presidential election, and Georgia has a few potential contenders.
Obviously, without a crystal ball, there is no real way to know how voters will behave, and there certainly isn’t a clear consensus on who Georgia residents specifically want to run. However, some say a few well-known politicians with close ties to Georgia and others who have historically performed well here could make great candidates.
Georgia’s political landscape
There has been a significant shift in Georgia’s voting demographics. Here are some key characteristics of its politics:
Georgia voters are diverse, dynamic and engaged.
There is often a significant divide between its urban, progressive areas (like Atlanta) and its conservative rural regions.
There is a growing number of younger voters participating in recent elections.
Although Georgia has a past as a blue state, there is still a significant number of Republican voters who would love to see these candidates run in 2028.
Brian Kemp
As the sitting governor of Georgia, Brian Kemp is top of mind for Georgia Republicans. Politico says Kemp is “best positioned” to capture votes if Trump fatigue takes hold over the next four years.
Kemp’s approval rating among Georgians was 53% and his net margin for approval/disapproval was “by far the best among the swing state governors.”
His major platforms include:
Economic development
Tax cuts
Healthcare
Election law
Public safety
Education
Fiscal conservatism
Limited government intervention
Anti-human trafficking
J.D. Vance
Despite President Donald Trump’s reluctance to name the Vice President as his successor, Republicans feel strongly about his potential for the future presidency.
Twenty-seven percent surveyed in the McLaughlin poll said they would vote for Vance in their party’s primary if it was today. Vance has been non-committal about his intentions, however. In an interview with Fox News host Maria Bartiromo, he simply said, “We’ll see what happens come 2028.”
His major platforms include:
Gender and family policies
Abortion
Same-sex marriage
Immigration
Foreign policy
Election integrity
Donald Trump, Jr.
Trump, Jr. has never run for political office, but he garnered 21% of the votes in polls concerning the 2028 election. He was elected as a Republican National Convention delegate in 2016 and he has been a ubiquitous presence in his father’s campaigns and presidencies.
Even though he might not have the experience as some other contenders, Axios called him, “MAGA’s new kingmaker,” He is emerging as a prominent pick and seems to have significant support with Republican voters.
Since he’s never run for office, he doesn’t have established platforms or policies, but his positions align closely with his father’s:
Conservative identity ideologies
Strict border security
Election integrity
Promoting U.S. oversight of Greenland
Other popular potentials
Vance and Trump, Jr. got the highest percentage of the votes in the poll for the 2028 election, and 24% polled said they were undecided, but a few other names broke through.
Ron DeSantis: 8%
Nikki Haley: 2%
Vivek Ramaswamy: 3%
Tulsi Gabbard: 3%
Marco Rubio: 3%
Do you have any wishes for the future elections? Did I leave your favorite off? Email me at srose@ledger-enquirer.com or find me on Instagram.
This story was originally published February 13, 2025 at 6:00 AM with the headline "Polls show who GA Republicans see as 2028 president. Is it Rubio, Kemp or another Trump?."
