Marco Rubio is rapidly cutting into JD Vance’s once-commanding lead among conservative activists, with the latest CPAC straw poll showing him surging into a strong second place as Vance’s support slips from last year — tightening what had been a lopsided race to succeed President Donald Trump.
Vance still led the 2026 Conservative Political Action Conference straw poll Saturday with 53% support, but Rubio’s 35% showing marked a sharp rise that significantly narrowed what had been a much wider gap between the two men in last year’s survey.
Last year, Vance actually posted a stronger 61% showing and Rubio languished at just 3%.
Rubio’s rise in the CPAC vote comes with his growing visibility on foreign policy and national security issues, including the Iran War, elevating his standing among conservative voters.
Read Full Article Here