Mike Pence Sets 2028 Wheels in Motion

The biggest surprise isn’t that the GOP lost big. The shock is that lawyers are already asking if Secretary of State Marco Rubio is the only one who can fix the mess. They gathered in Washington last week for the Federalist Society’s National Lawyers Convention. They want to know if he will run for president in 2028. Attendees are betting on a speech that might reveal a future president.

Republicans suffered a net loss of 41 seats in the House and eight seats in the Senate. This marks the largest simultaneous loss in both chambers since 1958. Fox News reported that the party’s blowout has left many wondering about the future. Isaiah McKinney, an attendee at the convention, told reporters he expects Rubio to discuss the election results. “I think it will be an interesting speech to see what he says post midterms,” McKinney said. He hopes Rubio will explain how foreign policy played a role in the defeat.

The Question on Every Lawyer’s Mind

The room is full of prominent lawyers who back the conservative movement. They know the party needs a new path forward. Rachel Paulose, a former U.S. attorney, said the crowd is curious about Rubio’s plans. “There are a lot of people in the room who are going to be wondering if he’s still planning on running for president someday,” Paulose told Fox News Digital. She noted that this question will be top of mind for many people there. The speech is the Barbara Olson Memorial Lecture. Previous speakers include Bill Barr and Bari Weiss.

John Shu, a legal commentator, thinks Rubio might talk about the budget. He noted that Democrats now control both the House and the Senate. “The fact of the matter is that the Republicans got blown out pretty well in the recent election,” Shu said. He wonders how the new Congress will handle funding for the State Department. Shu also noted that Rubio could address U.S. strikes on drug cartels off the coast of Venezuela. Even six Democrats who served in the military issued a video calling on service members to disobey those orders.

A Former VP Opens the Door

While Rubio prepares to speak, former Vice President Mike Pence is sending a different signal. He told Fox News Digital that he is not ruling out a 2028 run. He said he has received outreach from people across the country urging him to consider it. “We’ve been hearing from a lot of people around the country. I’ve been very humbled by that,” Pence said. He warned that the party must return to core principles like a strong defense and limited government.

Pence argued that the current version of Republicanism was rejected by the American people. He blamed the midterm disaster on a retreat from traditional conservative values. “The truth is if, if we don’t return the Republican Party to the principles of a strong defense, limited government, fiscal responsibility, and the right to life, it won’t matter who we nominate in 2028,” he said. White House Spokesman Davis Ingle fired back at Pence, calling his past actions a lack of courage. Ingle said, “Mike Pence’s total and complete lack of courage caused untold damage to our great country.”

The party is at a crossroads. They lost control of Congress because voters were unhappy with the direction. Now, they are looking for a leader who can win back the trust of the American people. Rubio’s speech on Friday could be the first real clue we get.