Turning Point USA Straw Poll Gives Vice President JD Vance 84.2% Support — Conservatives at AmericaFest 2025 Say He’s Their 2028 Choice
Vice President JD Vance won Turning Point USA’s AmericaFest 2025 straw poll in Phoenix, capturing 84.2% support from attendees — a dominant result that organizers and allied conservative figures say signals strong backing for a possible 2028 bid.
- Overwhelming straw-poll result: TPUSA reported 84.2% support for JD Vance among AmericaFest attendees.
- Other candidates trailed: Marco Rubio (4.8%) and Ron DeSantis (2.9%) were distant runners-up in TPUSA’s tally.
- Context and limits: The poll reflects TPUSA attendees, not a scientific national sample; numbers were widely circulated by conservative media.
- Local implications: Utah and other early states could see increased organizing, fundraising and visits if Vance pursues 2028.
What the poll showed
Turning Point USA (TPUSA) conducted a straw poll at AmericaFest 2025 (Dec. 18–21) in Phoenix. TPUSA’s internal reporting and coverage carried by national and local outlets put Vance’s support at 84.2%, an outcome described by organizers as historic and a demonstration of strong enthusiasm among conference activists.
The TPUSA breakdown reported Marco Rubio at 4.8% and Ron DeSantis at 2.9%. Other outlets published slightly different percentages for figures such as Vivek Ramaswamy and Donald Trump Jr., reflecting minor variations in how raw numbers were shared across platforms.
“All in” for Vance, said TPUSA leaders — TPUSA spokespeople framed the results as a unified base showing and allied figures amplified the message on social platforms.
Limits and context of the straw poll
Experts and reporters emphasized that a conference straw poll measures enthusiasm among a particular activist base and is not a scientific national survey. Journalistic coverage repeatedly noted the poll reflects TPUSA attendees and activists rather than a broader public consensus.
While the showing can indicate momentum and organizational energy, it should be treated as an internal barometer. Observers cautioned that such results can foreshadow support but do not alone determine broader electability.
Threats to America: what attendees said — and what is not verified
The conference poll asked attendees to name the greatest threats facing America. Some social posts circulating after the event listed detailed tallies (for example, figures attributing thousands of responses to categories such as “radical Islam” and “mass migration”), but those precise totals were not confirmed by mainstream reporting.
Major coverage noted priority rankings such as voter ID and affordability, but did not corroborate the granular numeric lists seen on social media. Such specific tallies should be treated cautiously unless raw TPUSA data or official releases are published.
Vance’s own position and next steps
Vice President JD Vance has not formally declared a 2028 presidential campaign. Reporting indicates he is focused on near-term priorities, including the 2026 midterms and post‑2026 meetings with President Trump. The TPUSA showing could encourage a run, but insiders say no formal decisions have been announced.
Broader polling outside TPUSA has at times shown Vance polling well in hypothetical GOP matchups, though numbers vary by pollster and methodology.
Broader reporting and media spread
The TPUSA results were widely shared by conservative and local outlets. National coverage appeared on Fox News, and local reporting ran on sites such as CBS Austin, KATV, and KFOXTV.
TPUSA leaders and allied figures shared results on social media; TPUSA CEO Erika Kirk publicly backed Vance and pledged organizational resources, and conference footage and clips circulated widely online (conference video post).
Implications for Utah
Economic impact: A sustained Vance campaign could generate visits, fundraising and events that benefit Utah’s hospitality and local economies, particularly if TPUSA and allied groups invest in early‑state outreach.
Political consequences: Utah’s GOP leaders and activists will weigh Vance’s platform against state priorities — such as religious liberty, economic freedom, and border security — and could be targeted with organizing and endorsement efforts.
Social and cultural effects: The themes emphasized by TPUSA attendees — including concerns over immigration, national security and economic stability — may sharpen local messaging from candidates and groups in Utah, and could influence younger conservative voters active in primaries.
Practical application: County and state GOP officials may begin earlier vetting, outreach and fundraising planning if Vance moves toward a campaign; activists often return from conferences with volunteer plans and event ideas that spread into early states.
Source links for verification
Reporting note: This article relies on TPUSA’s reported straw-poll results as covered by the listed outlets. Some detailed threat tallies circulating on social media were not confirmed in major reports and are noted here as unverified.
