Vance Gains Momentum with Turning point USA’s Support

WASHINGTON – When Charlie Kirk was killed this fall, Republican leaders credited the organization he founded for enabling president Trump’s return too power.

Now, that organization is mobilizing behind Vice President JD Vance.

Turning Point USA isn’t waiting for a competitive Republican primary in 2028. They plan to deploy representatives across Iowa’s 99 counties in the coming months. Their goal? to build the campaign infrastructure they believe will deliver Vance, a Midwesterner from nearby Ohio, a decisive victory – and potentially avoid a messy GOP race, according to insiders.

This is the latest step in a quiet effort by some in Trump’s circle to prevent strong challengers from emerging. Earlier this month, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who Trump had previously considered, effectively removed himself from contention.

“If Vance runs for president, he’s going to be our nominee, and I’ll be one of the first to support him,” Rubio told Vanity Fair.

After Kirk’s widow,Erika,endorsed Vance on stage at Turning Point USA’s annual conference in Arizona last week, a straw poll showed 84% of attendees would support Vance in the primaries.However, broader public polling tells a different story.

A CNN poll in early December found Vance with a plurality of Republican support at 22%. Other potential candidates,like Rubio and florida Gov. Ron DeSantis,registered in the single digits.

The remaining 64% said they had “no one specific in mind,” indicating an open field where other candidates coudl still gain traction.