Life after Trump: Republicans eye Vance, Rubio for leadership

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US VP Vance

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For a decade, President Donald Trump has been the gravitational force of the American right, but at this year’s Conservative Political Action Conference a pressing question is animating conversations in the hallways: who comes next?

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At what is billed as the world’s largest conservative meeting, there is no clear consensus — but an early contest is taking shape.

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For the first time in years, the 79-year-old second-term president is skipping the conference — typically held in Washington, but this year staged in the Dallas suburbs — allowing other Republican stars to step out of his shadow.

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Across conversations with attendees, Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio stood out as the main contenders to lead a post-Trump Republican Party, with support split in a race that remains wide open.

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Polling suggests Vance holds a comfortable national lead among Republican voters.

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But on the ground in Texas, the divide appeared more even — with roughly half backing Vance and a significant share favoring Rubio or considering him at least as capable.

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“I have the utmost confidence in both JD Vance and Marco Rubio to lead the country,” said Suzy Phillips, 68, a retired nurse from Dallas.

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“They would be my top two.”

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– Two-horse race –

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For many, the choice reflects a balance between continuity and experience.

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Vance’s appeal lies in his alignment with Trump’s movement and personal story — growing up in poverty in an Appalachian community beset by opioid addiction.

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“I loved JD Vance before he ever went into politics…I just loved his rags-to-riches story — that it was somebody who saw a better way and went the better way,” said Phillips.

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Others pointed to his communication skills and ideological fluency.

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“He’s very articulate, very educated,” said Laura McGarraugh, 52, an emergency room nurse from Austin.

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“He has a great grasp of any kind of questions he can field. He’s a little more diplomatic than Trump. I mean, I like Trump too, but I feel like JD Vance is a little more clean-cut.”

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Even Vance’s past criticism of Trump — once a potential liability — was brushed aside.

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“People change. People evolve. I haven’t kept the same opinions my whole life,” McGarraugh said.

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Rubio’s supporters, by contrast, emphasized experience and steadiness — particularly on the world stage.

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“Marco Rubio is an outstanding statesman,” said Brian Su, 60, a consultant from Chicago.

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“He has a very clear vision of dealing with international relations. So personally, I love him.”

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Phillips said she would ultimately lean toward Rubio, citing “his international diplomacy” and background as the son of immigrants.

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– Loyalty still matters –

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Despite the split, both candidates are judged through the same lens: their relationship to Trump and the movement he reshaped.

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Neither is seen as a break from Trumpism. Instead, they are viewed as competing heirs.

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That dynamic leaves little room — for now — for alternative figures to gain traction.

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Levi Mikula, 35, a media assistant from Dallas, said he would prefer Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, even as he acknowledged that Rubio was more likely to prevail.

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“I didn’t trust (Rubio) early on, but he’s been a lot stronger,” Mikula said. “And I think Donald Trump is the reason for it. But on foreign policy, he’s amazing right now.”

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A handful of attendees floated other possibilities, including candidates in Trump’s anti-establishment mold — or even, in some cases, a return by Trump himself, despite the constitutional barrier to a third term.

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That lingering focus on Trump underscores the central tension shaping the race.

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Even as activists begin to weigh successors, many are not ready to move on.

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“We’re hoping he will go for four more years,” Phillips said. “But we have to face the fact that we’re facing the end of the Trump era.”

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