Vice President J.D. Vance has emerged as the early frontrunner for the 2028 Republican presidential nomination, according to multiple polls including Rasmussen Reports and Emerson Polling. Rasmussen data shows Vance leading with 35% support among all GOP primary likely voters and 53% among Republican voters exclusively, surpassing other potential candidates such as Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, each polling at 10% among all GOP likely voters. Vance's polling performance reportedly exceeds former President Donald Trump's early primary numbers against DeSantis in 2024. In Texas, the 2026 Senate race remains competitive with incumbent Senator John Cornyn holding a narrow lead over Attorney General Ken Paxton in the GOP primary, with Cornyn at 30% and Paxton at 29%, according to Emerson Polling. In hypothetical general election matchups, Paxton leads Democratic challenger Colin Allred with 46% to 41%, while Cornyn holds 45% against Allred's 38%. On the Democratic side, Pete Buttigieg leads with 22% support in Texas, followed by Gavin Newsom at 20% and Kamala Harris at 17%. The GOP primary field for the Texas Senate race also includes other candidates, with a significant portion of voters still undecided. Additionally, Emerson Polling data indicates that in the 2028 Texas Republican primary for president, Vance leads with 45%, followed by Senators Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio at 9% and 6%, respectively, and Governor Ron DeSantis at 6%.