Democrats Looking at 2028 Shift Attention to Vance

President Donald Trump has acknowledged Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio as possible Republican presidential nominees for 2028. Last summer, Trump said Vance would “most likely” take over from him as the leader of the MAGA movement, according to the New York Times. Democrats—especially those who could be in the running for their party’s nomination—are beginning to take that seriously and are increasingly focusing their attacks on Vance.

One example came Saturday night when Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear appeared in Vance’s home county in Ohio and said the vice president had abandoned the communities he wrote about in the memoir that made him famous.

Beshear told a Democratic fundraiser in Butler County that Vance’s account of his upbringing “trafficked in tired stereotypes.” He criticized the book Hillbilly Elegy, calling it “hillbilly hate” and describing it as “poverty tourism,” while arguing that Vance is not truly from Appalachia.

The criticism reflects Vance’s growing status as a leading figure within the political coalition that elected President Trump twice. Some Democratic strategists say their party needs to start preparing for the next presidential race now. Democratic strategist Lis Smith said Vance currently appears to be the front-runner for the 2028 Republican nomination and argued Democrats should begin defining him politically well before the next election cycle.

Vance spokesperson Taylor Van Kirk dismissed Beshear’s remarks, saying that whenever the governor attacks the vice president for publicity, he ends up embarrassing himself.

Rep. Ro Khanna was among the first Democrats to focus his criticism on Vance. Khanna gave speeches at the City Club of Cleveland and at Yale University—where both he and Vance studied law—arguing that Vance represents a more extreme political direction than Trump.

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro also singled out Vance in November while criticizing the Trump administration’s policies toward working people. Shapiro said that while Trump is open about his views, he considers Vance insincere.

Some Democrats have rallied around California Gov. Gavin Newsom because of his aggressive messaging against Republicans. On social media, Newsom coined the nickname “JD ‘Just Dance’ Vance” and has mocked the vice president’s appearance, saying Vance “grew a beard and lost his spine.”

Smith said that for many Democrats, criticizing Vance is also a way to raise their own political profiles ahead of a potential presidential run. Taking on Vance, she said, allows candidates to show voters they could one day debate him on a national stage.

At Saturday’s Democratic fundraiser, the mention of Vance’s name drew boos from the crowd. Theresa Vacheresse, a retired physician and business owner, said she believes Vance lacks the political appeal that supporters see in Trump and suggested Democrats may have a stronger chance when Trump eventually leaves office.

Jamal Simmons, who served as communications director for Kamala Harris in 2022, said vice presidents often face unique political challenges. He noted that political parties are typically more focused on defending the president than the vice president, leaving the vice president to defend themselves and build their own support.