Politics in this country moves fast. One minute you're trying to figure out which "midwestern dad" archetype fits a candidate, and the next, the election is over and the focus has already shifted to the next four-year cycle. If you've been asking who is running for vice president, you're likely looking for two things: the people who just won the 2024 election and the names already being floated for 2028.
Honestly, the 2024 race was a total whirlwind. We saw a sitting President drop out, a Vice President move to the top of the ticket, and a Senator from Ohio go from "Never Trumper" to the next in line for the White House.
The 2024 Results: JD Vance and the MAGA Future
On November 5, 2024, the ticket of Donald Trump and JD Vance secured victory. Vance is now the Vice President-elect (and will be the 50th VP of the United States).
He’s only 40. That's young for this office.
Vance’s path was pretty wild. He grew up in Middletown, Ohio, served in the Marines, wrote a massive bestseller called Hillbilly Elegy, and then jumped into tech and finance. He didn't even like Trump back in 2016. But by 2022, he had the MAGA endorsement and won a Senate seat in Ohio.
When Trump picked him on July 15, 2024, it was a signal. It wasn't just about winning Ohio—Trump already had that. It was about picking an heir to the "America First" movement. Vance is basically the bridge to the future for the Republican party.
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The Democrats: Tim Walz and the Harris Ticket
On the other side, Kamala Harris chose Tim Walz, the Governor of Minnesota. People started calling him the "coach" because, well, he actually was a high school football coach and a social studies teacher. He served 24 years in the Army National Guard and spent over a decade in Congress before becoming Governor.
The Harris-Walz ticket ended up with 226 electoral votes, falling short of the 312 secured by Trump-Vance.
Walz was a tactical pick meant to shore up the "Blue Wall" states like Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin. He had this plain-spoken, "guy next door" energy that the campaign hoped would win over rural voters who felt alienated by national Democrats.
The Third-Party Contenders
It's easy to forget that other people were on the ballot too. If you were looking at a full list of who is running for vice president in 2024, you would have seen these names:
- Butch Ware: A history professor who ran with Jill Stein on the Green Party ticket.
- Mike ter Maat: An economist and former police officer who was the Libertarian nominee alongside Chase Oliver.
- Nicole Shanahan: A tech attorney and entrepreneur who was originally Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s running mate before he suspended his campaign and endorsed Trump.
- Melina Abdullah: A professor and activist who ran with Cornel West.
Most of these candidates pulled less than 1% of the popular vote, but in a tight election, even those small numbers make people nervous.
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Looking Ahead: The 2028 Vice Presidential Scramble
Since we’re currently in 2026, the "invisible primary" for 2028 is already starting. If the incumbent VP JD Vance decides to run for President in 2028 (which almost everyone expects), he'll need a running mate.
The Republican bench is deep right now. You’ve got Marco Rubio, who is currently serving as Secretary of State. He’s got the foreign policy chops and massive appeal in Florida. Then there's Sarah Huckabee Sanders, the Governor of Arkansas, and Tim Scott, the Senator from South Carolina.
On the Democratic side, the field is wide open. Since Harris and Walz lost in 2024, the party is looking for a new direction.
Josh Shapiro, the Governor of Pennsylvania, is a name that comes up in almost every conversation. He was on the shortlist for 2024 and is incredibly popular in a swing state. Then you have Gretchen Whitmer from Michigan and Pete Buttigieg, who has been a staple of the national conversation for years.
Who to Watch for 2028 VP Spots
Republican Potentials:
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- Marco Rubio (Current Secretary of State)
- Sarah Huckabee Sanders (Governor of Arkansas)
- Byron Donalds (Florida Congressman)
- Glenn Youngkin (Governor of Virginia)
Democratic Potentials:
- Josh Shapiro (Governor of Pennsylvania)
- Mark Kelly (Senator from Arizona)
- Wes Moore (Governor of Maryland)
- Andy Beshear (Governor of Kentucky)
Why the VP Choice Matters More Than Ever
For a long time, the Vice Presidency was seen as a "bucket of warm spit" (as John Adams famously didn't quite say). But today? It’s a launchpad.
In 2024, we saw how crucial the VP pick was for defining a party's identity. Vance represents a populist, nationalist shift in the GOP. Walz represented a return to labor-focused, "prairie populist" roots for the Democrats.
When you look at who is running for vice president, you aren't just looking at a backup. You're looking at the person who will likely be the face of their party in four or eight years.
Moving Forward: Stay Informed
If you want to keep track of the 2028 cycle as it heats up, start by following the governors of key swing states. Historically, governors make very strong VP candidates because they have executive experience and "home turf" advantages.
Check out the official filings on the Federal Election Commission (FEC) website to see who is actually raising money.
Pay attention to the 2026 midterm results. The winners of the gubernatorial and Senate races this year are the most likely candidates to end up on a national ticket in two years. Keep an eye on the margins in Pennsylvania and Michigan—those will dictate who the parties pick to "balance" their tickets next time around.