Vice President J.D. Vice President Vance should not be considered the heir to Donald Trump’s automatic magician, Sen. Tom Tillis said.
JD Vance says that his 2028 election is not his focus during a visit to the UK
JD Vance says he hasn’t focused on the 2028 election during his recent visit to the UK, despite Trump calling him the successor to MAGA.
WASHINGTON — The race to succeed President Donald Trump’s Republicans as the party’s 2028 candidate is widespread and Vice President JD Vance should not be considered an heir to an automatic magician, Sen. Tom Tillis said.
The North Carolina Senator, who chose to be re-election in 2026, said that in 2028, “natural heirs” was a “jump ball” when asked on CBS News on August 20 when Trump had a “natural heir.”
“Absolutely a jump ball,” Tillis said. “I think we’ll probably see one of the most diverse areas of Republican primary that we’ve seen in our modern day.
Trump on August 5 said Vance was “probably” in the next line to win the 2028 Republican nomination, with the vice president saying “it will likely be supported at this point.”
However, Tillis questioned whether that was true given Vance’s short career in politics. “The Vice President was a Senator for two years. He was VP for seven months. So he has limited political exposure, political history. I mean, he’s a good guy. JD-I like it.”
“People hate how sudden I am, but I’m an analysis guy,” Tillis said. “He’s one of a few people who have to prove they have a chop,” Tillis said, adding that Vance is “smart, capable, clear” and “a good dad and a good guy.”
Trump is forbidden by the Constitution from running to third term, but he wants to run again, and publicly says he wants to “want” toys on the idea of running in 2028.
Tillis, who was first elected to the Senate in 2014, infuriated Trump and the White House this year, and raised concerns about Trump’s “one big beautiful bill” Medicaid cuts before voting against the law in July. Tillis, one of three Republican senators, voted against Megaville.
The race to replace Tillis is expected to be one of the most enthusiastically contested mid-term Senate elections, offering Democrats the best chance of picking up in the Senate.
Former North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper is an overwhelming favourite to secure the Senate Democrat nomination. On August 1, North Carolina Republican Chairman Michael Whatley announced that he would seek a Republican nomination after the president’s daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, passed a potential bid.
Reach Joey Garrison with X @joeygarrison.