A CNN analyst highlighted that Vice President JD Vance is currently performing far better than other potential Republican contenders as the 2028 GOP presidential primaries approach. Political analyst Harry Enten shared the latest polling data, which underscores Vance’s commanding lead among early voters.
Although Vance has not yet officially declared his candidacy for the 2028 election, he is already emerging as the frontrunner in key early-voting states. In New Hampshire, a traditional bellwether for presidential primaries, he is the top choice among likely Republican voters. According to HuffPost, a University of New Hampshire poll conducted in October, 51% of respondents indicated that they would support Vance if the primary were held today.
Other potential Republican candidates lag significantly behind him in the same poll. Former U.N. ambassador Nikki Haley garnered just 9% support, while National Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard received 8%. The gap between Vance and his nearest competitors highlights his current dominance in the early GOP landscape and suggests that he could be setting the pace well ahead of the official campaign season.
Vance stands alone in breaking a 45-year Republican polling record
Enten explained why Vance is such a strong favorite in prediction markets right now. “There’s a reason why he’s such a heavy favorite in the prediction market so far, because if you win the GOP primary in New Hampshire, chances are, you’re going to be the Republican nominee for president,” he pointed out.
Enten compared Vance to famous race car driver Mario Andretti and said the other candidates are like go-kart drivers in comparison. Despite tensions within the Trump White House, Vance continues to maintain strong polling numbers. He highlighted an important fact about Vance’s poll numbers.
Vance is the only non-sitting president from the Republican Party since 1980 to reach 50% or higher in early New Hampshire primary polling. “JD Vance is pulling off something historic at this time, and that is the key reason why, at this point, he is the far and away favorite for the Republican nomination,” Enten said during his analysis.
He added that Vance is way ahead of everyone else in the race. The Vice President has made headlines recently with his controversial comments about English-speaking neighbors, which sparked national debate.
He said he wants to focus on next year’s midterm elections first before thinking about a possible 2028 presidential run. Despite not officially announcing anything, the polls show he has strong support.
Published: Dec 30, 2025 02:47 pm