JD Vance 'Wrangling' With the Decision to Run for President After 'Disappointing' Midterm Election, Veep Ally Claims
JD Vance is still uncertain about whether he will run for president in 2028, according to an ally.
Nov. 13 2026, Published 3:05 p.m. ET
Vice President JD Vance is struggling with whether to run for president in 2028 following Republicans' midterm election losses, with allies telling CNN that he remains undecided, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
CNN White House correspondent Alayna Treene reported Friday, November 12, that conversations with approximately a dozen Vance allies and advisers revealed uncertainty about his presidential ambitions.
JD Vance Allies Reveal Uncertainty
Vance will also consider his family when deciding to run.
"They described someone who is really wrangling with this decision over his future political ambitions, the fracturing that we saw of the MAGA coalition," Treene said.
Treene also cited the demands of fatherhood as a consideration for Vance, who welcomed his fourth child with his wife, Usha, in July.
Treene said Vance remains committed to rebuilding the political movement that helped return President Donald Trump to the White House in 2024, although he has not decided whether he wants to lead it.
'The Reason We Lost is the War'
Inheriting the Iran War is a major consideration for Vance.
The ongoing war with Iran has emerged as another factor in Vance's political calculations.
One Vance ally told CNN that the conflict could complicate the presidential ambitions of any Republican, warning that the party must resolve the war before the next election.
The vice president blamed the conflict for the midterm defeats in a lengthy statement on X.
"The reason we lost is the war. The president himself said so last night," Vance wrote. "And any honest conversation about where we go from here must start there."
Other Republicans Looking to Run for Prez
Ron DeSantis appears to be the first Republican to set the stage for a 2028 run.
Vance's uncertainty comes as several prominent Republicans consider their own presidential ambitions, including Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, and Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp.
DeSantis, who unsuccessfully challenged Trump for the 2024 Republican nomination, described the midterm defeats as an "extinction-level event for Republicans."
The History of Veeps Running For President
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Vance would be up against history if he were to run for the presidency in 2028.
Only four sitting vice presidents have won an election directly to the presidency.
John Adams became the first in 1796, followed by Thomas Jefferson in 1800, Martin Van Buren in 1836, and George H.W. Bush in 1988.
Several other sitting vice presidents were unsuccessful as Richard Nixon lost to John F. Kennedy in 1960, Hubert Humphrey lost to Nixon in 1968, and Al Gore lost to George W. Bush in 2000. Most recently, Vice President Kamala Harris lost the 2024 presidential election to Trump.
Former vice presidents have successfully returned to win the White House, with Nixon winning in 1968, eight years after leaving office, and Joe Biden defeating Trump in 2020, four years after completing his vice presidency under Barack Obama.
