Four politicians are emerging as potential contenders for the 2028 United States presidential election, according to a recent Reuters/Ipsos poll. The names gaining attention include Republicans JD Vance and Marco Rubio, alongside Democrats Jon Ossoff and Pete Buttigieg. Although none of them has officially launched a presidential campaign, early public opinion suggests that they could play significant roles in the next presidential race.

However, the formal nomination process for both parties is still more than a year away. This leaves considerable room for new candidates to enter the race and for voters' preferences to change. The current findings offer an early indication of which political figures are attracting attention ahead of the 2028 election.

Among Republican voters surveyed, 45 percent believe Secretary of State Marco Rubio would make an excellent presidential candidate. Vice President JD Vance follows closely, with 43 percent expressing the same opinion. These figures suggest that both politicians have considerable support within the Republican Party as potential successors to Donald Trump.

On the Democratic side, former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and Georgia Senator Jon Ossoff received similar ratings. Around 29 percent of Democratic voters consider each of them an excellent potential presidential candidate. Their support reflects growing interest in identifying new leadership within the party.

The Reuters/Ipsos survey covered 1,705 adults across the United States, including approximately 500 registered voters from each major political party. The poll concluded on Monday. The margin of error for Republican and Democratic voters was five percentage points.

The political landscape has become increasingly complicated following the Republicans' significant defeat in the November 3 congressional elections. Democrats remain divided over how aggressively they should challenge Trump, particularly whether they should pursue another impeachment effort against him.

Trump has reportedly asked some of his close associates whether they prefer Vance or Rubio as his potential political successor. In an interview with CBS's '60 Minutes' on Sunday, Trump said he would not necessarily endorse anyone in the Republican primary.

Despite serving as the country's top diplomat, Rubio has been largely absent from several negotiations involving Iran. Meanwhile, Vance has shown signs of distancing himself from some of Trump's positions. He publicly acknowledged that the Iran war played a role in the Republicans' major losses in the midterm elections.

Several other Republican politicians are also being discussed as possible presidential contenders. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis appears to be among the stronger alternatives, with 32 percent of Republican voters considering him an excellent candidate. Trump's son Donald Trump Jr. and Texas Senator Ted Cruz also have supporters, although both face opposition.

Among Democrats, Ossoff has attracted attention through his direct criticism of Trump. He has described the president as corrupt and unfit for office. Last week, Ossoff secured re-election in Georgia by an 18-percentage-point margin, despite Trump winning the state by two percentage points in the 2024 election.

Buttigieg, who previously ran for president in 2020, remains a nationally recognised Democratic figure. However, around one in five Democratic voters said they did not know him. For Ossoff, the figure was approximately one in three. Among Republicans, very few voters were unfamiliar with Vance, while nearly one in six said they did not know Rubio.

Although the 2028 presidential race remains distant, the latest poll highlights the politicians currently attracting attention within both major parties.