2028 Republican Party presidential primaries
Selection of the Republican Party nominee
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Presidential primaries and caucuses are going to be organized by the Republican Party to select delegates to the 2028 Republican National Convention to determine the party's nominee for president in the 2028 election. The primaries and caucuses will take place in all 50 U.S. states, Washington, D.C., and five U.S. territories. No primary dates have been determined.
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TBD
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TBD delegates to the Republican National Convention | |||
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 First place by pledged delegate allocation | |||
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Incumbent president Donald Trump is constitutionally ineligible to be elected to a third term as president under the Twenty-second Amendment. It is disputed whether he is also ineligible to serve as vice president under the Twelfth Amendment.
If no member of the Trump family runs, it would be the first Republican primary since 2012 without a Trump, as Donald Trump ran for president in 2016, 2020 and 2024.
Candidates
Declared
| Candidate | Born | Experience | State | Announcement date | Campaign | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Dan Greaney |
September 28, 1964 (age 62) Duxbury, Massachusetts |
Television writer |  California |
May 26, 2026 | 
FEC filing[1] Website |
[2] |
.jpg) Royce White |
April 10, 1991 (age 35) Minneapolis, Minnesota |
Former NBA player |  Minnesota |
August 12, 2026 | FEC filing[3] | [4] |
Dan Greaney
Dan Greaney is a television writer, lawyer, and Harvard University graduate. Greaney is credited with writing the episode of The Simpsons "Bart to the Future" in 2000. The episode presented the possibility of a Donald Trump presidency, which took place for the first time in 2016.[5][failed verification] On May 26, 2026, Greaney announced his intention to run for president in 2028 on his Instagram account.[6] In a press release, his campaign stated he would run as a "progressive Republican in the tradition of Abraham Lincoln and Teddy Roosevelt," naming universal health care and the Green New Deal as policy planks.[2] He held his official campaign announcement on June 5, 2026.[7][8]
Royce White
Royce White is a former professional basketball player. He is mainly known for his NBA career, playing three games with the Sacramento Kings in 2014. White was a candidate for Minnesota's 5th congressional district in 2022, but lost the Republican primary. He ran for U.S. Senate in 2024, but was defeated in the general by Amy Klobuchar. White ran for Senate once more in 2026, coming in third in the Republican primary. On August 12, the day following his loss in the primary, White announced he would seek the Republican presidential nomination.[9][4] He filed paperwork to run on September 21.[3]
Formed exploratory committee
| Candidate | Born | Experience | State | Exploratory committee announced |
Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Gregory Bovino |
March 27, 1970 (age 56) San Bernardino County, California |
Commander-at-large of U.S. Border Patrol (2025–2026) |
California |
June 8, 2026 | [10] |
Gregory Bovino
Gregory Bovino served as the commander-at-large of the United States Border Patrol from October 2025 until his removal in January 2026. In June 2026, NewsNation and The Daily Beast had reported that Bovino had taken steps towards running in the 2028 election, including forming an exploratory committee.[10][11] He told NewsNation that his campaign was currently exploratory, but would launch a formal campaign "if it all comes together."[10] Following the report, Bovino posted to X that "[if] running for President is what it takes to actually get [mass deportation] done, then all options are on the table".[12] A campaign website created by supporters of Bovino lists policy planks such as reinstating the Department of Government Efficiency and creating a "department of masculinity."[11]
Expressed interest
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Don Bacon
Don Bacon has served as the U.S. representative for Nebraska's 2nd congressional district since 2017. He mentioned in a podcast interview which was reported on in September 2026 by The Hill[13] and The Washington Examiner[14] that he was interested in a presidential run in 2028.
Chris Christie
Chris Christie served as governor of New Jersey from 2010 to 2018, and ran two unsuccessful bids for president in 2016 and 2024. When discussing 2028 at the Granite State Summit in New Hampshire, Christie stated that he was considering a run for president.[15][16]
Ted Cruz
Ted Cruz has served as a United States senator from Texas since 2013 after being appointed as the 3rd Solicitor General of Texas by then Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott, he served this role from 2003 to 2008. Initially reluctant to support Trump, Cruz has become a key Republican figure and a close ally of Trump.[17] Cruz was born in Canada after his father, preacher Rafael Cruz, immigrated there from Cuba, though he is still able to fulfill the natural-born citizen requirement due to his mother's American citizenship which he inherited.[18] He now serves as the chair of the Senate Commerce Committee after serving as the ranking member from 2023 to 2025. The runner-up to Donald Trump in the 2016 Republican Party presidential primaries, Cruz has said that he expects to seek the presidency again at some point. In May 2026, Cruz travelled to early primary state Iowa, prompting speculation that he was laying the groundwork for a presidential run.[19][20] While speaking on Texas Lt. Governor Dan Patrick's podcast in August, Cruz stated that "it's no secret that I want to be president."[21][22]
Ron DeSantis
Ron DeSantis has served as the 46th governor of Florida since 2019 and previously ran for the Republican presidential nomination in 2024. He is barred by the state's constitution from seeking a third term as governor. He expressed an openness towards running for president in a March 2026 podcast interview with Sean Hannity.[23] The Florida Phoenix described it as DeSantis "leaving the door open" for a potential run.[24] Later in May, DeSantis once again left the door open to run for president, responding "You never know" when asked if he has plans to run.[25] Polls from around that time show he was trailing behind Rubio and Vance.[26]
John Kennedy
John Kennedy has served as a U.S. senator from Louisiana since 2017. He said in a New Hampshire interview at Politics and Eggs that he planned to run for re-election but he would "never say never" to a possible presidential run.[27] He said in a June 2026 interview at New Hampshire Institute of Politics at Saint Anselm College that he had been contacted by donors about a run for president and that he was open to the idea.[28]
Rand Paul
Rand Paul has served as a U.S. senator from Kentucky since 2011. He previously ran for president in 2016, dropping out after finishing fifth in the 2016 Iowa Republican presidential caucuses.[29] Paul stated in a June interview with Semafor that he would "look at" a presidential run after the midterms conclude.[30] In September 2026, Paul said on Newsmax that he plans to “look thoroughly at it as we see the results come in”[31] and told The Washington Post he’s "50-50 on making the race."[32]
JD Vance
JD Vance has served as the 50th vice president of the United States since 2025. He previously served as a U.S. senator from Ohio from 2023 to 2025. In an interview in November 2025, he acknowledged giving consideration to running for president in 2028 and planned to speak with Trump about it after the midterms, but said he wants to focus on winning the midterms first.[33] In February 2026, Reuters reported that Vance and Rubio had become the central figures in speculation over Trump's possible Republican successor, while noting that Trump had declined to endorse either man.[34] In May 2026, Vance travelled to early primary state Iowa to support representative Zach Nunn, fueling speculation that he was laying groundwork for a presidential run.[35][36]
Speculated by the media
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Sarah Huckabee Sanders
Sarah Huckabee Sanders has served as the governor of Arkansas since 2023 and previously served as the 31st White House Press Secretary in the first Trump administration. She is the daughter of current United States Ambassador to Israel and former Governor of Arkansas Mike Huckabee, who ran in the 2008 and 2016 Republican Party presidential primaries. She has been noted as a possible contender by The Washington Post,[37] The Hill,[38] and The Arkansas Times,[39]
Brian Kemp
Brian Kemp has served as the governor of Georgia since 2019. Kemp, who is retiring in 2027 due to term limits, is widely seen as a leading alternative to Trump within the Republican Party. In May 2025, he announced that he would not run in the 2026 United States Senate election in Georgia, a decision that fueled speculation about a possible presidential campaign in 2028.[40] He has been identified as a potential 2028 presidential candidate by CNN[40] and The Washington Post.[41]
Glenn Youngkin
Glenn Youngkin served as the 74th governor of Virginia from 2022 to 2026. Youngkin was elected in 2021 by 2 points in a state where Republicans had not won a statewide election since 2009.[42] Youngkin founded a new educational policy group, Empowering America's Parents, which will be launching ads in several battleground states, fueling speculation for a presidential campaign in 2028. He has been suggested as a potential contender by NBC News[43] and CBS News.[44]
Declined to run
The following individuals have, as of October 2026, publicly denied interest in being a candidate:
- Steve Bannon, senior counselor to the President (2017)[45][46]
- Scott Bessent, 79th United States Secretary of the Treasury (2025–present)[47]
- Todd Blanche, 88th United States Attorney General (2026–present) and 40th United States Deputy Attorney General (2025–2026)[48]
- Mike Braun, 52nd governor of Indiana (2025–present) and U.S. senator from Indiana (2019–2025)[49]
- Spencer Cox, 18th governor of Utah (2021–present)[50]
- Sean Duffy, 20th United States secretary of transportation (2025–present)[51]
- Nikki Haley, 29th U.S. ambassador to the United Nations (2017–2018), 116th governor of South Carolina (2011–2017), and candidate for president in 2024[52]
- Josh Hawley, U.S. senator from Missouri (2019–present), 42nd attorney general of Missouri (2017–2019)[53]
- Pete Hegseth, 29th United States secretary of defense (2025–present)[54]
- Eric Holcomb, 51st governor of Indiana (2017–2025) and 51st lieutenant governor of Indiana (2016–2017)[55]
- Mike Johnson, 56th speaker of the United States House of Representatives (2023–present) and U.S. representative from LA-4 (2017–present)[56][better source needed]
- Ron Johnson, U.S. senator from Wisconsin (2011–present)[57][better source needed]
- Thomas Massie, U.S. representative from KY-4 (2012–present) (endorsed Tucker Carlson)[58]
- Dave McCormick, U.S. senator from Pennsylvania (2025–present)[59]
- Linda McMahon, 13th United States secretary of education (2025–present), 25th Administrator of the Small Business Administration (2017–2019), member of the Connecticut State Board of Education (2009–2010), and Republican nominee for U.S. Senate in 2010 and 2012[60]
- Candace Owens, far-right political commentator (endorsed Tucker Carlson)[61]
- Mike Pence, 48th vice president of the United States (2017–2021), 2024 presidential candidate, 50th governor of Indiana (2013–2017), and U.S. representative from Indiana (2001–2013)[62]
- Vivek Ramaswamy, entrepreneur, candidate for president in 2024, and Republican nominee for governor of Ohio in 2026[63]
- Mitt Romney, businessman, U.S. senator from Utah (2019–2025), 70th governor of Massachusetts (2003–2007), candidate for president in 2008, and Republican nominee for president in 2012[64]
- Marco Rubio, 72nd United States Secretary of State (2025-present), U.S. senator from Florida (2011–2025), candidate for president in 2016 (endorsed Vance)[65][66]
- Donald Trump Jr., businessman and son of incumbent president Donald Trump (endorsed Vance)[67][68]
Primaries and caucus calendar
| Order[69] | Total delegates |
Primaries/caucuses | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | TBD | Iowa | |
| 2 | TBD | New Hampshire | |
| 3 | TBD | Nevada | |
| 4 | TBD | South Carolina | |
The primary and caucus calendar is expected to be very similar to previous primaries, with the Republican National Committee (RNC) voting on a plan to maintain the same primary calendar in January 2026.[70][71] Following a meeting with the RNC, Republican Party of Iowa Chairman Jeff Kaufmann stated that Iowa was likely to hold its status as the first caucus in the nation.[72] South Carolina Republican Party Committeeman Tyson Grinstead also said that South Carolina would keep its status as the first Southern primary.[71]
Timeline
2024
- November 6: Donald Trump is declared the winner of the 2024 presidential election by a consensus of major news outlets projecting the results, defeating incumbent Vice President Kamala Harris.[73]
2025
- January 20: Donald Trump and JD Vance are inaugurated as the 47th president and 50th vice president of the United States.
- February 22: Vice President Vance wins the 2025 CPAC presidential straw poll with 61%, with Steve Bannon in second at 12%.[74]
- March 19: The New York Times reports that Trump and the Republican Party had threatened, signed executive actions, and ordered investigations into their political opponents, critics, and organizations aligned with the Democratic Party and progressive politics in an attempt to hobble Democrats' ability to compete in future elections.[75]
- March 30: NBC reports that Trump would not rule out seeking a third term as president, with Trump saying he "was not joking" about a third term, and telling NBC "there are methods" for doing so, including running for vice president with JD Vance running for president and, upon winning, passing the role to Trump.[76]
- April 24: The Trump Organization begins selling hats and T-shirts with "Trump 2028" written on them, provoking questions about whether or not Trump would attempt to run for a third term.[77]
- May 4: Trump says in an interview with NBC News that he will only serve two terms as president and will not run again after winning twice, mentioning both Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio as his potential successors.[78][79]
- September 30: In an Oval Office meeting with congressional leaders prior to the 2025 government shutdown, Trump displays red hats with "Trump 2028" emblazoned on the front.[80]
2026
- March 28: Vice President Vance wins the 2026 CPAC presidential straw poll with 53%, with Marco Rubio in second at 35%.[81]
- May 26: Television writer Dan Greaney announces his candidacy for the Republican nomination, marking the first candidate to be mentioned as declared in the press. His key policies include universal health care and the Green New Deal.[2]
- June 8: Gregory Bovino, the former commander-at-large of the United States Border Patrol, forms an exploratory committee for a possible run for the Republican nomination.[82]
- August 12: Former NBA basketball player Royce White announces his intention to run for the Republican nomination following his loss in the Republican primary for Senate in Minnesota.[4]
- September 9–10: The 2026 Republican National Convention is held in Dallas, Texas.[83]
- September 10: The Republican National Committee approves the 2028 Republican presidential nominating calendar, keeping Iowa as the first contest, followed by New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina.[84]
Endorsements
- State legislators
- Robert D. Clifton, member of the New Jersey General Assembly from the 12th district (2012–present)[85]
- Individuals
- Brent Forrester, comedian and writer[8]
- Mieke Marple, writer (candidate's campaign manager)[8]
- Executive branch officials
- Dan Bongino, former deputy director of the FBI (2025–2026)[86]
- Individuals
- Jack Dorsey, former CEO of Twitter and founder of Bluesky[87]
- Individuals
- Jeremy Boreing, podcaster and former CEO of The Daily Wire[88]
- Ken Griffin, entrepreneur and owner of Citadel LLC[89]
- Sid Rosenberg, radio personality[90]
- Stephen A. Smith, sports media personality (Independent; co-endorsed with Wes Moore and Josh Shapiro)[91]
- Executive branch officials
- Marco Rubio, secretary of state (2025–present)[66]
- U.S. senators
- U.S. representatives
- Brandon Gill, TX-26 (2025–present)[94]
- Anna Paulina Luna, FL-13 (2023–present)[95]
- Statewide officials
- Glenn Youngkin, former governor of Virginia (2022–2026)[96]
- Individuals
- Erika Kirk, CEO of Turning Point USA and widow of Charlie Kirk[97]
- Bill Maher, comedian and television host (Independent)[98]
- Donald Trump Jr., businessman and son of president Donald Trump[99]
- Executive branch officials
- Donald Trump, president of the United States (2017–2021, 2025–present)[100]
- U.S. senators
- Ted Cruz, Texas (2013–present) (declined to endorse Vance)[101]
- Rand Paul, Kentucky (2011–present) (declined to endorse Vance)[66]
- U.S. representatives
- Randy Fine, FL-06 (2025–present) (endorsed against Vance)[102]
Campaign financing
This is an overview of the money used by each campaign as it is reported to the Federal Election Commission (FEC). Per the Federal Election Campaign Act 1971, all contributions by an individual are itemized (catalogued) by the FEC when the total value of their contributions exceeds $200. Campaign finance reports for the third quarter of 2026 will become available on October 15, 2026.[103] This table does not include contributions made to Super PACs or party committees supporting the candidate. Each value is rounded up to the nearest dollar.
| Candidate | Total raised | Individual contributions |
Pct unitemized |
Spent | Debt | Cash on hand |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greaney[104] | $59,675 | $4,494 | 31.2% | $19,968 | $58,181 | $39,708 |
Opinion polling
Nationwide
| Aggregator | Updated | Ted Cruz | Ron DeSantis | Robert F. Kennedy Jr.[c] | Marco Rubio | Donald Trump Jr.[d] | JD Vance | Other | Lead |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 270toWin[105] | August 14, 2026 | 2.5% | 8.0% | 1.5% | 20.8% | 11.0% | 39.6% | 25.0%[e] | Vance +18.8% |
| Real Clear Polling | August 14, 2026 | 3.1% | 7.1% | 3.8% | 21.6% | 11.8% | 39.8% | 7.8%[f] | Vance +18.2% |
| Aggregate | 2.8% | 7.6% | 2.7% | 21.2% | 11.4% | 39.7% | — | Vance +18.5% | |
Statewide
See also
Notes
- Although Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is registered as Independent, he is often polled with Republicans.
- Donald Trump Jr. has denied interest in being a candidate.
- John Kennedy 5.0%, Vivek Ramaswamy 2.5%, Nikki Haley 2.5%, Tucker Carlson 2.3%, Sarah Huckabee Sanders 1.5%, Josh Hawley 1.5%, Greg Abbott 1.0%, Tom Cotton 1.0%, Tulsi Gabbard 1.0%, Marjorie Taylor Greene 1.0%, Rand Paul 1.0%, Rick Scott 1.0%, Tim Scott 1.0%, Lee Zeldin 1.0%, Glenn Youngkin 0.7%
- Nikki Haley 3.5%, Vivek Ramaswamy 2.3%, Tucker Carlson 2.0%