Vance Tops 2028 GOP Straw Poll Among Pro-Life Activists

Vice President J.D. Vance is already emerging as a favorite among grassroots conservatives, winning a Republican presidential straw poll conducted at the National Pro-Life Summit, according to organizers.

The nonbinding poll, organized by pro-life advocacy groups during the summit, asked attendees to identify their preferred Republican nominee for the 2028 presidential election. Vance captured the largest share of support, outpacing a field of potential GOP contenders, the Washington Times reported.

Organizers said the outcome highlights the priorities of engaged pro-life voters—particularly younger activists—who attended the event. Nearly half of respondents identified abortion as their single most important voting issue, with a strong majority ranking it among their top two concerns.

“The dedicated grassroots of GOP activists – Pro-Life, Youth Voters – pick Vice President JD Vance as their top GOP Presidential Contender … and flag CA Gov. Gavin Newsom as the possible leader of the Democratic Party,” said Students for Life Action President Kristan Hawkins in a statement, the Times noted. “Legislators take note: the campaign season has begun.”

While the straw poll carries no official weight, organizers described it as a meaningful snapshot of sentiment within one of the Republican Party’s most motivated and organized voting blocs as the 2028 cycle slowly comes into view.

Other Republicans receiving support included Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and House Speaker Mike Johnson, though organizers did not release a full ranking. Participants were also asked about the Democratic field, with California Gov. Gavin Newsom emerging as the leading anticipated nominee, ahead of former Vice President Kamala Harris, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York.

The straw poll comes as political interest in the post-2025 landscape intensifies, with potential candidates across both parties quietly gauging support well ahead of formal announcements.

Vance has already positioned himself as a prominent voice within the pro-life movement. Last month, he addressed thousands of activists at the 53rd annual March for Life in Washington, D.C., urging perseverance amid concerns about the pace of abortion-related reforms under President Donald J. Trump’s administration.

Speaking on the National Mall, Vance acknowledged internal debates among pro-life advocates over whether political change has moved quickly enough since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022. He told the crowd that disagreement over strategy is inevitable—and healthy—within a democratic movement.

Vance urged attendees to remain steadfast, quoting scripture and calling on activists to focus on the long-term mission rather than short-term setbacks. He highlighted the generational divide within the movement, noting that younger advocates have only experienced the post-Roe legal environment, while veteran activists spent decades fighting to return abortion policy to voters rather than unelected judges.

Drawing on personal experiences with state ballot initiatives, Vance spoke candidly about both victories and losses endured by the movement, encouraging activists to consider how far they have come in just the past decade.

“We have made tremendous strides over the last year,” Vance said, while adding that significant work remains ahead.

Vance also reaffirmed that the Trump administration remains aligned with the pro-life cause and pledged continued engagement with activists nationwide.

Republicans, including Vance, have urged the administration to reassess the safety of mifepristone—the first drug used in chemical abortions—and to reverse policies allowing abortion pills to be distributed through the mail. During his remarks, Vance outlined steps the Trump administration says it has taken to dismantle abortion-related policies enacted under the Biden administration.

Among those actions, Vance said the administration halted prosecutions of pro-life activists who had been charged for activities such as praying outside abortion clinics, framing the move as a restoration of constitutional protections for free speech and religious expression.