Republicans may have the best political problem imaginable. They have too many people who could plausibly be president. I realize that sounds like a strange complaint, especially after the last decade of American politics, but here we are.

Every time someone writes about 2028, another Republican gets their wings. At this rate, we’re going to need a bigger debate stage.

The latest round of speculation came from Hugh Hewitt, who recently looked ahead at 2028 while also noting the Democrats’ rush toward the left edge of the political spectrum.

Radical candidates are expected to emerge as the party’s Senate nominees in Michigan and Minnesota as well. The “Democratic Socialists of America” hostile takeover over the shattered glass of the Democratic Party seems inevitable.

With the Democrats at best in an internal civil war between socialists and far-left liberals, which way will a post-President Trump GOP turn? – Fox News

Hugh is definitely correct about that analysis. The Democrats seem determined to test just how progressive each one of them can become, even after the voters handed them a fairly decisive rejection in 2024.

Republicans, meanwhile have the oppose problem.

Nobody is asking whether the party as a future bench. The debate is over which member of that bench should get the first shot.

Please Remain Seated

Let’s start by narrowing the field a little.

While I appreciate the strength of the Republican bench, there comes a point where somebody has to start making cuts.

My own list gets short in a hurry. Vance stays on it. Rubio stays on it. And DeSantis is on it. After that, I’m mostly looking at people who should probably stay where they are.

I’m taking a red pen to mark off Mike Pompeo, Ted Cruz, David McCormick, Doug Burgum, Brian Kemp, and Glenn Youngkin. The problem isn’t that they’re unqualified. The problem is that not every qualified Republican needs to run for president.

Of course, every frontrunner eventually attracts critics. Vance is no exception. Some Republicans argue that he isn’t charismatic enough or lacks the warm-and-fuzzy appeal needed to win over voters. Maybe. Then again, I’m not looking for a teddy bear. I’m looking for a president.

The X factor JD Vance may be missing for 2028.@RichLowry explains why some Republicans remain hesitant about JD Vance — and what Marco Rubio may have that Vance doesn’t.

Watch the FULL clip –https://t.co/EIYXpGK69m#JDVance #MarcoRubio #2028Election pic.twitter.com/ktJKf7BKtc

— Next Up with Mark Halperin (@NextUpHalperin) June 11, 2026

The VP Question

The assumption seems to be that J.D. Vance is next. Maybe he is.

That’s certainly how modern politics tends to work. The vice president often gets the nod after serving under a successful president, and Vance has performed well in the role.

I’d be perfectly fine with that outcome.

Then again, I’d also be perfectly fine with Marco Rubio.

In fact, if I had one hesitation about Rubio running, it has less to do with Rubio and more to do with the job he’s already doing. He seems to have found his footing as Secretary of State, and I’d hate to lose an effective Secretary of State just because the presidency becomes available.

Still, if Rubio decided he wanted to run, who could blame him?

And if we’re already playing the “what if” game, why couldn’t Rubio top the ticket and keep Vance as his running mate?

I realize that’s not the usual progression, but Republicans aren’t exactly short on options. A Rubio administration followed by a Vance administration would give conservatives a remarkable amount of continuity over the next decade and a half.

A Job For Ron

Then there’s DeSantis. If Rubio decides to run for president, I’d move DeSantis straight into Rubio’s old job. Florida didn’t become a Republican stronghold by accident. DeSantis spent years governing one of the nation’s largest states, advancing conservative priorities, and winning battles that most Republicans wouldn’t even pick. That’s exactly the kind of executive experience I’d want representing the United States abroad.

The nice thing about having several qualified people is that you stop arguing about whether someone belongs in the conversation and start arguing about where they fit best.

Maybe Vance is the answer. Maybe Rubio decides he wants a shot at the top job. Maybe DeSantis has plans of his own that make this entire exercise irrelevant.

For now, I’m simply enjoying the fact that Republicans have a much healthier problem than Democrats. While Democrats seem locked in a battle over how far left they are willing to go, Republicans are debating which of several qualified candidates should carry the banner into 2028.

That’s not a crisis.

That’s depth.

Feature Image: AI-generated illustration.