Prominent Republican senator already rejects JD Vance for president in 2028
Senator Rand Paul will not be jumping on the JD Vance bandwagon for president in 2028. (Watch the video below).
The Kentucky Republican strongly suggested he would not endorse the vice president, even as Vance is doing fairly well in early polls to succeed President Donald Trump.
Jonathan Karl on ABC’s “This Week” on Sunday pointed out to Paul that Turning Point USA CEO Erika Kirk and Secretary of State Marco Rubio have already endorsed Vance.
“Is JD Vance the heir apparent here?” the journalist asked.
At first, Paul circled around the question, criticizing the administration’s trade wars, before Karl got a more definitive answer.
“I think there needs to be representatives in the Republican Party who still believe that international trade is good, who still believe in free market capitalism, who still believe in low taxes,” Paul said. “It used to separate conservatives and liberals that conservatives thought it was a spending problem: We didn’t want more revenue, we wanted less spending.”
“But now all these pro-tariff protectionists love taxes. And so they tax, tax, tax, and then they brag about all the revenue that comes in,” Paul continued. “That’s never been a conservative position.”
“So I’m going to continue trying to lead a free-market conservative wing in the party, and we’ll see where things lead over time.”
“And that’s not JD Vance?” -Karl asked.
Paul hesitated for a moment. “No,” he replied.
Rand Paul on Erika Kirk and Marco Rubio endorsing JD Vance:”I think there needs to be representatives in the Republican Party who still believe that international trade is good, who still believe in free market capitalism, who still believe in low taxes.”
Karl:”And that’s not JD Vance?”
Pablo:… pic.twitter.com/nAMp7FIWzm
– Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) December 21, 2025
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Rand Paul on Erika Kirk and Marco Rubio endorsing JD Vance: “I think there needs to be representatives in the Republican Party who still believe international trade is good, those who still believe in free market capitalism, those who still believe in low taxes.”
Karl: “And that’s not JD Vance?”
Pablo:… pic.twitter.com/nAMp7FIWzm
– Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) December 21, 2025
Paul has lately opposed Trump and Vance on several issues beyond tariffs, including legally questionable attacks on suspected drug traffickers at sea, the administration’s attacks on six congressional Democrats who made a video reminding service members that they can refuse “unlawful orders,” and the presidential pardon of former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández, a convicted drug trafficker.
TOM BRENNER via Getty Images