The second day of the Republican National Committee (RNC) convention in Dallas, Texas on Thursday is headlined by a keynote address by Vice President JD Vance. It could be a potential launchpad for the 42-year-old for the GOP ticket in the 2028 Presidential election, experts feel.
Both JD Vance and Donald Trump spoke on Wednesday, as well. They are scheduled to speak again on Thursday. While apparently not much looks different between the two days, the RNC has posited JD Vance as the primary speaker, ahead of Trump, on Day 2.
Additionally, there will also be a fundraiser by the VP on the sidelines of the convention aiming to rake in around $2 million, Adam Wren of Politico reported.
Deep Dive
What does the '48' chant signify in relation to JD Vance?
Why is JD Vance considered a strong candidate for the GOP ticket in 2028?
How might JD Vance's performance in the 2026 midterms affect his 2028 presidential ambitions?
Talks about Vance potentially being Trump's successor on the GOP ticket in the next election have been ongoing for a while. But with Trump's falling approval ratings amid the backlash over the Iran war, experts say that a section in the GOP is viewing Vance as a more feasible option to side with when compared to Trump's MAGA support base.
Alex Rouhandeh of Newsweek reported that RNC Chair Joe Gruters disputed the claim that the ultimate power in the GOP rests with the MAGA faction. Gruters argued that Vance's role as the RNC Finance Chairman proves that the GOP is not all MAGA.
{{/usCountry}}Alex Rouhandeh of Newsweek reported that RNC Chair Joe Gruters disputed the claim that the ultimate power in the GOP rests with the MAGA faction. Gruters argued that Vance's role as the RNC Finance Chairman proves that the GOP is not all MAGA.
{{/usCountry}}All this seems to have reinforced the belief that Vance is Trump's logical successor in 2028. In fact, the fact that some in the GOP are already convinced about it became evident at Thursday's session.
Could JD Vance Succeed Trump? What '48' Chants Meant
Politico reported that JD Vance was greeted with chants of "48" at a closed-door breakfast at the Dallas convention on Thursday morning. 48 is a reference to the 48th POTUS to be elected in 2028. The report added that Vance is publicly downplaying such speculations.
But internally, things might be slightly different. According to Dasha Burns, the host of Politico's podcast, The Conversation, White House sources revealed that the fallout over the outcome of the Iran war has meant that Trump and Vance do not exactly see eye-to-eye, despite keeping things smooth in public. And Vance is using the opportunity to be seen more and more - something the headline act at Day 2 of the RNC convention will further reinforce.
"The more that people see of JD Vance, the more people like JD Vance, the better it is for him," Burns said about the feeling inside JD Vance's camp about a prospective 2028 presidential run.
However, there is also wide acknowledgement that a lot will rest on the outcomes of the 2026 midterms and JD Vance's role in the mega campaign.
Trump will start addressing the convention at around 10pm ET on Thursday after Vance's keynote address, which starts at 9pm ET.