The next step for the Republicans, who were defeated in both the Senate and the House of Representatives, is the issue of who the Republicans will nominate for the presidential elections on November 7, 2028.
According to the Washington Post, while several Republicans have already expressed their stance on this issue, current Vice President JD Vance stands out among the names whose decision is most curious.
While many names from the Republican wing avoided directly targeting Trump in their statements after the elections, they made suggestions for the Republican Party. These statements were interpreted as "preparations for 2028".
Washington Post reported on the Republicans who came to the fore with their statements.
Governor of Florida
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis distanced himself from Republicans' failures at a Nov. 4 press conference after the midterm election tally emerged.
Although DeSantis, who was previously a candidate in the 2024 presidential elections, did not openly criticize Trump and other Republicans, he called the midterm elections "a near-extinction event for Republicans" and argued that the reason why the Republican Party in Florida survived this situation was his style of management.
DeSantis said, "We have a history of success. We have earned the trust of many of our voters, and we have been able to maintain our stance even in the worst situation imaginable politically." His use of these statements was also interpreted as "preparation" for his future candidacy.
Heavy criticism from Trump's former Vice President Pence
One of the names within the Republican Party that raised its voice after the midterm elections was Mike Pence, who served as Vice President of the United States during Trump's previous term.
In his article for the Wall Street Journal, Pence criticized the Trump administration for "record borrowing and spending, imposing unconstitutional tariffs indiscriminately on friends and foes, and failing in its approach to Iran."
Comment from former Secretary of State Pompeo: "Americans want more opportunities"
Former US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo also made a statement on his social media account after the election and said, "Is he preparing for candidacy?" brought up the question.
Pompeo stated that the American people "wanted more opportunities" at the ballot box and said, "Democratic socialists and liberals cannot offer these opportunities. Big government conservatives cannot offer this either. More effort is needed." he commented.
Vance's criticisms of Iran and Israel created the "preparation for the presidency" agenda
On the other hand, the most striking statement after the midterm elections came from US Vice President JD Vance.
Vance's statement, stating that the Trump administration's Iran and Israel policies were the reason for his midterm election defeat, attracted attention.
"If you want to argue that it was worth it, that losing the Senate for the next six years was worth it, do so. But everyone knows why we lost. And an honest discussion about what to do next must start there," Vance said in his statement. His words were interpreted as preparations for a possible presidential campaign.
New York politician did not criticize Trump directly
Republican House of Representatives member Elise Stefanik, in her statement to CBS television, described the heavy defeat of the Republican Party as a "reckoning and a new beginning", and at the same time continued to praise Trump.
"There was an apathy among Republicans during this election cycle," Stefanik said. he said.
Pointing out that she was not a candidate in the elections, Stefanik emphasized that she won all 7 elections she entered before.
Rubio preferred to remain without comment
On the other hand, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who greeted the results on November 3 with silence and was a presidential candidate in the past, is one of the prominent names.
In his interview with the New York Times yesterday, Rubio rejected the claim that he would leave his post to become a candidate in the 2028 US presidential elections.
Rubio, who declined to comment on his future political career, said, "I'm really not going to talk any more about 2028." he said.
