Vice President J.D. Vance was the top choice for the Republican presidential nomination in a straw poll conducted at the National Pro-Life Summit, the latest in a series of polls putting him at the front of the 2028 pack.
Students for Life Action said that Mr. Vance led the presidential straw poll of pro-life youth voters conducted Saturday, followed by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and House Speaker Mike Johnson.
Attendees also predicted that California Gov. Gavin Newsom would receive the 2028 Democratic presidential nod, ahead of former Vice President Kamala Harris, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York.
Not surprisingly, abortion was the biggest motivator for summit-goers when considering presidential candidates: 51% called it their number-one issue, while 34% said it ranked in the top two.
“The dedicated grassroots of GOP activists – Pro-Life, Youth Voters – pick Vice President JD Vance as their top GOP Presidential Contender … and flag CA Gov. Gavin Newsom as the possible leader of the Democratic Party,” said Students for Life Action President Kristan Hawkins in a statement. “Legislators take note: the campaign season has begun.”
Come get your selfie with @JDVance at the National Pro-Life Summit pic.twitter.com/YJ9auUyMRC
— Students for Life Action (@SFLAction) January 24, 2026
It’s possible that Mr. Vance had the inside edge with pro-life voters. The day before the summit, he was the keynote speaker at the National March for Life, the pro-life movement’s annual gathering on the National Mall.
Then again, the vice president has emerged at the top of virtually every pre-2028 election presidential poll on the Republican side.
He lapped the field last month in Turning Point USA’s America2025 straw poll, taking 82.6% of the balloting and far outpacing Mr. DeSantis, who came in second at 7.6%.
RealClearPolitics average of recent polls shows Mr. Vance leading potential 2028 Republican candidates with 48.8%, well ahead of Donald Trump Jr. with 11%, Mr. Rubio with 9.3%, and Mr. DeSantis with 9%.
Mr. Vance, 41, was serving his first term as a Republican senator from Ohio when he was tapped by Mr. Trump to be his running mate on the 2024 presidential ticket.
Mr. Trump is serving his second term in office and cannot run for reelection in 2028.
