2028 Republican Primary (Mercbl)

The 2028 Republican Presidential Primary saw 44 candidates make a bid for the position of Republican nominee, the largest ever number for a Presidential primary.
Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds managed to broaden her appeal to both the Trumpist and “old-school” conservative factions after the extremely controversial 2024 primary, allowing her to become the Republican Party’s first female nominee and then America’s first female President. Most of the hardcore Trumpist vote went to either Governor Ron DeSantis or Senator Josh Hawley while Vice President Mike Pence was popular with the moderate Republicans but won little of the Trumpist vote, despite being Trump’s Vice President. The 2028 primaries also saw young-earth creationist Eric Hovind make his political debut as somewhat of a dark horse candidate, beating respected politicians such as ambassador Nikki Haley, Governor Larry Hogan and Senator Rand Paul.
Following a crowded and divisive primary season, several of the Republican hopefuls ended up running for President as independents or as minor party nominees: the most notable of these being the independent campaign of Mike Pence and Eric Hovind’s run as the nominee as the candidate of the Salvation party.
Kim Reynolds would go on to claim victory in the 2028 presidential election.
 	Name 	Image	Most recent position 	Outcome of campaign 	Popular Vote	Delegates won	
1 	Kim Reynolds 	 	Governor of Iowa 	Republican Nominee 	17.43% 	 	
2 	Ron DeSantis 	 	former Governor of Florida (2019-2027) 	Assassinated during primaries 	15.12% 	 	
3 	Josh Hawley 	 	Missouri Senator (2019-present) 	Withdrew during primaries (endorsed Ron DeSantis) 	12.11% 	 	
4 	Mike Pence 	 	former vice president (2017-2021) 	Withdrew during primaries; ran as independent 	12.03% 	 	
5 	Tom Cotton 	 	Arkansas Senator (2015-present) 	Withdrew during primaries (endorsed Kim Reynolds) 	11.84% 	 	
6 	Chris Sununu 	 	former Governor of New Hampshire (2017-2025)	Withdrew during primaries (endorsed Kim Reynolds) 	9.77% 	 	
7 	Eric Hovind 	 	Pastor 	Withdrew during primaries; ran as Salvation party Presidential candidate	7.5% 	 	
8 	Ted Cruz 	 	Texas Senator (2013-present) 	Withdrew during primaries (endorsed Rand Paul) 	3.99% 	 	
9 	Nikki Haley 	 	Ambassador to the United Nations (2017-2018)	Withdrew during primaries (endorsed Kim Reynolds) 	3.86% 	 	
10	Larry Hogan 	 	former Governor of Maryland (2015-2023) 	Withdrew during primaries (endorsed Chris Sununu) 	1.35% 	 	
11	Rand Paul 	 	Kentucky Senator 	Withdrew during primaries (endorsed Josh Hawley) 	1.12% 	 	
12	Marco Rubio 	 	Florida Senator (2011-present) 	Withdrew during primaries (endorsed Ron DeSantis) 	1.05% 	 	
13	Jim Justice 	 	West Virginia Senator (2025-present) 	Withdrew during primaries (endorsed Kim Reynolds) 	0.9% 	 	
14	Mike Garcia 	 	California Representative (2020-present) 	Withdrew during primaries (endorsed Josh Hawley) 	0.9% 	 	
15	Jared Kushner 	 	Senior Advisor to the President 	Withdrew during primaries (endorsed Ron DeSantis) 	0.52% 	 	
16	Ralph Torres 	 	Governor of the Northern Marianas Islands 	Withdrew during primaries (endorsed Kim Reynolds) 	0.51% 	 	
17	Rick Scott 	 	Florida Senator 	Withdrew before the primaries (endorsed Ron DeSantis) 	 	 	
18	Donald Trump Jr 	 	Businessman 	Withdrew before the primaries (endorsed Jared Kushner) 	 	 	
19	Phil Scott 	 	Governor of Vermont 	Withdrew before the primaries (endorsed Mike Pence) 	 	 	
20	Mike Pompeo 	 	Governor of Kansas 	Withdrew before the primaries; became Kim Reynolds' running mate 	 	 	
21	Ben Carson 	 	Secretary of Housing and Urban Development 	Withdrew before the primaries (endorsed Jared Kushner) 	 	 	
22	Tagg Romney 	 	Senator for Utah 	Withdrew before the primaries; became Mike Pence's running mate 	 	 	
23	Rick Perry 	 	Secretary of Energy 	Withdrew before the primaries (endorsed Ted Cruz) 	 	 	
24	Charlie Gerow 	 	Governor of Pennsylvania 	Withdrew before the primaries (endorsed Kim Reynolds) 	 	 	
25	Kristi Noem 	 	Governor of South Dakota 	Withdrew before the primaries (endorsed Kim reynolds) 	 	 	
26	Joni Ernst 	 	Iowa Senator 	Withdrew before the primaries (endorsed Kim Reynolds) 	 	 	
27	Dan Crenshaw 	 	Texas Senator 	Withdrew before the primaries (endorsed Ted Cruz) 	 	 	
28	Mike Lindell 	 	Businessman 	Withdrew before the primaries (endorsed Donald Trump Jr) 	 	 	
29	Tim Scott 	 	South Carolina Senator 	Withdrew before the primaries (endorsed Nikki Haley) 	 	 	
30	Scott Walker 	 	Wisconsin Senator 	Withdrew before the primaries (endorsed Kim Reynolds) 	 	 	
31	Marjorie Taylor-Greene	 	Georgia Representative 	Withdrew before the primaries (endorsed Donald Trump Jr) 	 	 	
32	Doug Ducey 	 	Governor of Arizona 	Withdrew before the primaries (endorsed Ron DeSantis) 	 	 	
33	John F. Kelly 	 	White House Chief of Staff 	Withdrew before the primaries (endorsed Jared Kushner) 	 	 	
34	Brain Kemp 	 	Governor of Georgia 	Withdrew before the primaries (endorsed Ron DeSantis) 	 	 	
35	Susan Collins 	 	Maine Senator 	Withdrew before the primaries (endorsed Mike Pence) 	 	 	
36	Lenny Curry 	 	Mayor of Jacksonville, Florida 	Withdrew before the primaries 	 	 	
37	Callista Gingrich 	 	Ambassador to the Holy See 	Withdrew before the primaries 	 	 	
38	Todd Young 	 	Indiana Senator 	Withdrew before the primaries 	 	 	
39	Steven Mnuchin 	 	Secretary of the Treasury 	Withdrew before the primaries 	 	 	
40	Rocky De La Fuente 	 	Businessman 	Withdrew before the primaries 	 	 	
41	Ben Sasse 	 	Nebraska Senator 	Withdrew before the primaries 	 	 	
42	Ann Coulter 	thumb	Author 	Withdrew before the primaries 	 	 	
43	William Shine 	 	New York Representative 	Withdrew before the primaries 	 	 	
44	James Lankford 	 	Oklahoma Senator 	Withdrew before the primaries 	 	 	
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Category:US elections 2028
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