JD Vance, the vice president of the United States, recently delivered a 40-minute speech at the Republican midterm convention in Dallas, where he positioned himself as a potential successor to President Donald Trump. According to Reuters, his address had the tone and structure of a presidential nomination speech, signaling his growing influence within the party. During the event, Vance criticized the Democratic Party, honored Charlie Kirk on the anniversary of his assassination, and responded to a heckler displaying a Mexican flag. The audience chanted "48!" in support of Vance becoming the 48th president, and he was later praised by Trump, who called him a "very talented guy." Vance has since joined former presidents Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Barack Obama, and Joe Biden in New York City to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks at Ground Zero. This event was notable as Trump did not attend. Meanwhile, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, 55, was not at the Dallas convention. Instead, he was touring South America, where he was asked about his presidential ambitions. Rubio said he has no immediate plans to run for president and is "100 percent focused on my job," referring to his roles as secretary of state and acting national security adviser. According to an insider speaking to NBC News, Rubio "loves being secretary of state and is really enjoying the job" and has no intention of running in 2028, though he might consider it in 2032 or 2036. Rubio previously ran for the Republican nomination in 2016 but dropped out after losing his home state of Florida to Trump. Although he saw a brief resurgence in popularity after the successful removal of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, he has since faded from the political spotlight as Trump's focus has shifted to other issues. Trump reportedly asked conservative allies whether they preferred Vance or Rubio as his successor, and Rubio has indicated he would not challenge Vance for the nomination. Trump has not publicly endorsed either candidate, and Vance has not confirmed his intent to run, possibly due to his wife Usha Vance’s recent childbirth and concerns about a potential backlash against Trump, whose approval ratings remain in the low 30s. Other potential candidates include Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Senator Ted Cruz, though Trump has said it is "very early to talk about" Hegseth’s prospects. On the Democratic side, Vice President Kamala Harris is mentioned as a possible nominee but has not committed. Meanwhile, betting markets favor California Governor Gavin Newsom, Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and Senator Jon Ossoff, who recently made a comment about Trump’s relationship with his executive assistant. The upcoming midterm elections are expected to hinge on issues like immigration, crime, and cultural debates, rather than Trump’s unpopular policies or economic concerns. Trump has promised $5,000 checks to U.S. citizens if the GOP retains control of both the House and Senate, a proposal critics argue would cost $1.3 trillion. He also urged attendees to pledge allegiance to his cause or "go to hell," highlighting the polarizing nature of his leadership.