Secretary of State Marco Rubio leaves a meeting with Colombia’s President Abelardo de la Espriella in Barranquilla, Colombia, on Sept. 8, 2026. (Luis Acosta – AFP / Getty Images)
By Johnathan Jones September 14, 2026 at 7:56am
The latest Western Journal GOP 2028 Presidential Straw Poll found Secretary of State Marco Rubio continuing to lead the field, although his lead narrowed from the previous week.
Our poll from the week of Sept. 7-13 showed Rubio received 37 percent of the vote this past week, maintaining the top position but declining 4 points from the week prior.
Vice President J.D. Vance finished second with 26.2 percent, which was down 2.9 percent from last week’s 29.1 percent.
The votes are in! 🇺🇸 Here’s this week’s GOP 2028 straw poll (Sept 7th-13th):
Marco Rubio – 37%
JD Vance – 26.2%
Thomas Massie – 13.7%
Donald J. Trump – 9.6%
Ron DeSantis – 7%
Other – 4.1%
Cast your vote for this week’s poll at The Western Journal’s… pic.twitter.com/ibBrUa8mxC— The Western Journal (@WesternJournalX) September 14, 2026
The latest result leaves Vance 10.8 percent behind Rubio, compared with an 11.9-point gap the previous week.
Rubio and Vance have repeatedly exchanged positions near the top of The Western Journal’s weekly survey throughout the past year.
Rep. Thomas Massie, a Republican from Kentucky, recorded the largest increase among the leading candidates, rising to 13.7 percent, an increase of 1.7 percent.
President Donald Trump received 9.6 percent this past week, gaining 2.2 points from the previous week’s 7.4 percent.
Trump is constitutionally limited to his current two elected terms and is not a candidate for another presidential term in 2028, but he has continued to receive support in the weekly straw poll.
Meanwhile, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis also gained slightly, moving to 7 percent, which was up from last week’s 6.3 percent.
🇺🇸 The votes are counted — here’s this week’s GOP 2028 straw poll:
Marco Rubio – 41%
JD Vance – 29.1%
Thomas Massie – 12%
Donald J. Trump – 7.4%
Ron DeSantis – 6.3%
Other – 4.2%Did you get who you wanted?
Submit a new vote each week at The Western Journal’s… pic.twitter.com/W2YU4AHNRA
— The Western Journal (@WesternJournalX) September 7, 2026
Former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn also placed this week after he received 2.4 percent of the vote.
Candidates receiving less than 2 percent support are grouped into the “Other” category, which slipped to 4.1 percent from last week’s 4.3 percent.
The latest results show Rubio remains the leading choice among respondents in our non-scientific poll.
The Western Journal will continue tracking reader sentiment about the race until Republican primary voters have the opportunity to cast actual ballots.
We would like to hear from you and other voices in the conservative movement.
If you would like to make your voice heard in this week’s survey, you can do so by clicking the link here.
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Johnathan Jones is a journalist, novelist, and media analyst with experience as a reporter, editor, and producer across radio, television, and digital platforms. Follow him on X: @misterjkjones
