The 2028 presidential election is exactly three years from today. Imagine a burned-out nation on the verge of a meltdown from campaign fatigue.

For Republicans, the question of who will be President Trump’s MAGA-man successor is already a hot-button issue. Recently, the president “endorsed” his dream ticket — Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio — and gloated, “We have JD obviously, the vice president, who’s great. Marco’s great. I’m not sure if anyone would run against those two. I think if they ever formed a group, it would be unstoppable.”

Nonetheless, Earth will orbit the sun three times before voters have their final say. Therefore, alternative Republican candidates could emerge while Republican and Independent primary voters might reject a predetermined, finger-on-the-scale ticket anointed by an unpopular lame-duck president. As shown by Tuesday’s off-year election, Trump’s name was invisibly at the top of every ballot, and he got slammed.

Assuming no seismic events occur before Nov. 7, 2028, that lead to a President JD Vance, expect Republican ticket drama to be relatively mild compared to the costly, brutal struggle that will produce a Democratic presidential nominee.

In late September, The Hill published “Ranking the Democratic contenders for president in 2028.” California Gov. Gavin Newsom led that list of 10 names, and after Tuesday’s redistricting win, strengthened his top position.

Not even on that list was Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) — an oversight likely to change. In 2024,

© The Hill