The second presidency of Donald J. Trump is still in its infancy, but that is not to say that Republican power players are not taking steps to prepare for the party's future.

Though Trump himself has been reluctant to weigh in on who should succeed him atop the GOP ticket in 2028, a prominent -- and historically predictive -- survey taken this weekend suggests that Vice President JD Vance is widely considered the obvious heir apparent, as Fox News reports.

Straw poll favors Vance

The 2025 Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) was held in Oxon Hill, Maryland, last week, and its well-known straw poll yielded key insights into the Republican Party's potential future direction.

On Saturday, CPAC attendees were given the chance to weigh in on who they believe should be the GOP's standard-bearer in 2028, and by a resounding margin, Vance came out the winner.

As The Hill explains, out of the 1,022 conservative voters who took part in the poll, a staggering 61% chose Vance to lead the next presidential ticket.

A surprise to some was the fact that former Trump advisor and conservative commentator Steve Bannon came in second place, with 12% of the poll's votes.

Other notable Republican names considered in the survey were those of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who garnered 7% support; Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Rep. Elise Stefanik, who both received 3%; and Donald Trump Jr., Tulsi Gabbard, and Vivek Ramaswamy, all of whom received 2% support.

VP's MAGA bona fides bear fruit

Speaking to the crowd assembled at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center, Jim McLaughlin, who leads McLaughlin & Associates Polls, revealed the outcome of the yearly measurement of the party's political pulse.

“You guys are the conservative movement, you guys are the thought leaders, the opinion leaders,” McLaughlin told the enthusiastic audience.

He continued, “We asked folks who they thought would be the Republican nominee, who they preferred for the Republican for president in 2028. And who is it?”

Keeping the audience in suspense no longer, McLaughlin revealed, “JD Vance. And why? Because he's viewed as the closest thing to Donald Trump.”

McLaughlin also touted the predictive validity of his organization's CPAC straw poll, reminding attendees that it correctly gauged support for Trump's 2024 primary and general election wins.

Trump reserves endorsement

Earlier this month, Trump made headlines and spurred speculation when, during a sit-down with Fox News' Bret Baier, he declined to declare Vance to be his natural successor, as USA Today noted at the time.

When asked whether Vance was the clear heir apparent to his MAGA mantle, Trump said “no,” but added his belief that the VP is “very capable,” and according to the results at CPAC, that is a sentiment with which many in his party emphatically agree.