As the convention attendee sees it, Trump should also serve a third term.<\/p>\n
\u201cDonald Trump,\u201d Cole says definitively, when asked who she\u2019d like to see as the 2028 Republican nominee for commander in chief.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s not allowed, per the U.S. constitution<\/a>, but Cole believes the contest against Biden in 2020 was \u201cstolen.\u201d That warrants more investigation, she explained Thursday as Republicans pitched their midterm candidates to the nation for a second straight day.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd then I think we need to give that back to President Trump,\u201d Cole said. \u201cHe earned that. We know that he won that election, so I think that\u2019s why you\u2019ll see him as the 2028 president.\u201d<\/p>\n The 2026 midterm elections were front-and-center at this week\u2019s Republican convention in Dallas, but some attendees were already thinking ahead to the next presidential election year, when \u2014 despite Cole\u2019s preferences \u2014 Trump\u2019s time in the White House winds down and a new GOP leader is named as the party\u2019s presidential nominee.<\/p>\n The names most often floated in conversations with attendees were Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Neither have announced a bid, but they routinely come up in the mix of potential 2028 GOP presidential candidates.<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m kind of at this point a little torn,\u201d said Deb Spencer, who lives in Wise County. \u201cI would be very happy if it was JD Vance, but I\u2019d also be very happy if it was Marco Rubio.\u201d<\/p>\n The preferences align with recent polls that generally have Vance as the leading pick<\/a>, followed by Rubio.<\/p>\n Vance helped close out the second and final day of the convention<\/a>. While he spoke, an attendee\u2019s comment broke through the hum of an enthusiastic crowd at the Republican midterm convention in Dallas: \u201cJD 48.\u201d The words of encouragement were met with cheers and chants of support from the crowd.<\/p>\n Vance brushed off the remark, shifting focus back to the midterms as Republicans fight to keep control of Congress.<\/p>\n \u201cWe got to take care of business this November,\u201d Vance said. \u201cThen we\u2019ll worry about what comes next.\u201d<\/p>\n One attendee said it\u2019s too early to say who he wants on the ballot in 2028, and another wanted to wait and see who Trump endorses before deciding.<\/p>\n Sherry Fayo from Springtown wants a Vance presidency with Rubio as his vice president. Ideally, Vance would serve eight years and then Rubio would serve two terms after that, she said.<\/p>\n \u201cRubio is probably the smartest man in this flipping country,\u201d said Andrea Watkins, who lives in Rusk, adding: \u201cI would vote for him if he ran.\u201d<\/p>\n Watkins, who said she also likes Vance, has been a fan of Rubio since his 2016 presidential bid. That year, she was impressed by the then-Florida senator. She also liked Texas Sen.Ted Cruz, who was also running for president and whose name is sometimes mentioned in 2028 crystal balls. (Watkins wasn\u2019t a fan of Trump at the time, but he\u2019s won her over, she said.)<\/p>\n She complimented Rubio\u2019s \u201cgood attitude\u201d and described him as smart, articulate and knowledgeable.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s not too over-crazy on one end or too passive on another,\u201d Watkins said.<\/p>\n Spencer, the Wise County resident who is torn between Rubio and Vance, praised Rubio\u2019s handling of the conflict in Iran and sees him as someone who\u2019d be very able as a president. At the same time, Vance has done a \u201cphenomenal job\u201d leading fraud investigations, Spencer said.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s what the American people need to see,\u201d she said. \u201cThey need to see him really active, and not just being this quiet little vice president that we don\u2019t ever know what he\u2019s really supposed to be doing.\u201d<\/p>\n Attendees expressed a desire for Trump\u2019s agenda to continue past 2028 \u2014 even if he\u2019s not on the ticket.<\/p>\n Brad Book from Argyle sees Vance as the pick to \u201ccarry the torch\u201d post Trump. Rubio would also be good, he said.<\/p>\n \u201cWhoever wins the Republican [nomination] is who I\u2019m going to support,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n As Bill Key from Weatherford put it: \u201cAs long as it\u2019s not a Democrat.\u201d<\/p>\n Do you have an opinion on this topic? Tell us! <\/p>\n We love to hear from Texans with opinions on the news \u2014 and to publish those views in the Opinion section.<\/p>\n \u2022 Letters should be no more than 150 words. <\/p>\n \u2022 Writers should submit letters only once every 30 days. <\/p>\n \u2022 Include your name, address (including city of residence), phone number and email address, so we can contact you if we have questions. <\/p>\n You can submit a letter to the editor two ways: <\/p>\n \u2022 Email letters@star-telegram.com<\/a> (preferred).<\/p>\n \u2022 Fill out this online form.<\/a><\/p>\n Please note: Letters will be edited for style and clarity. Publication is not guaranteed. The best letters are focused on one topic.<\/p>\n Eleanor Dearman<\/a><\/p>\n Fort Worth Star-Telegram<\/p>\n Eleanor (Elly) Dearman is a Texas politics and government reporter for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. She\u2019s based in Austin, covering the Legislature and its impact on North Texas. She grew up in Denton and has been a reporter for more than six years.![\"President](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/FTW_20-AED_RepublicanConventionDayTwo.JPG\" "\\"FTW_20-AED_RepublicanConventionDayTwo.JPG\\"")
President Donald Trump walks out to give the closing remarks of the 2026 Republican Convention on Thursday, Sept. 10, 2026 at American Airlines Center in Dallas. Abigail Dollins Fort Worth Star-Telegram <\/p>\n![\"Vice](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/FTW_35-AED_RepublicanConventionDayTwo.JPG\" "\\"FTW_35-AED_RepublicanConventionDayTwo.JPG\\"")
Vice President JD Vance gives the keynote address on night two of the 2026 Republican Convention on Thursday, Sept. 10, 2026 at American Airlines Center in Dallas. Abigail Dollins Fort Worth Star-Telegram <\/p>\n![\"U.S.](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/2026-09-09T200739Z_1129511904_RC2VFNACE6BJ_RTRMADP_3_USA-ECUADOR.JPG\" "\\"2026-09-09T200739Z_1129511904_RC2VFNACE6BJ_RTRMADP_3_USA-ECUADOR.JPG\\"")
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks to the press outside the U.S. embassy in Quito, Ecuador, September 9, 2026. Dolores Ochoa\/Pool via REUTERS Dolores Ochoa via REUTERS <\/p>\n
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