2028: Unlikely Republican Senator Drawing Buzz as Vance's Potential VP Pick

Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-MO) is drawing speculation as Vice President JD Vance’s potential running mate in 2028, Axios reported Tuesday.Vance views the 51-year-old Missouri Republican as “trustworthy, intelligent, articulate and a deft political operator,” according to the outlet. Secretary of State Marco Rubio appears to be the early favorite to be Vance's vice presidential pick, though two years is a lifetime in politics.Schmitt has built his reputation taking on Biden administration policies, challenging alleged government censorship and helping advance President Donald Trump’s agenda.Vance has already made his admiration clear publicly. Speaking to Semafor last year, the vice president called Schmitt “one of the Trump administration’s most valuable allies on Capitol Hill,” praising his relationships inside Washington and his understanding of what Republican voters want from their leaders.As Missouri attorney general, Schmitt jointly led a coalition of 10 states challenging Biden’s COVID vaccine mandate for federal contractors in 2021. The lawsuit put him on the front lines of Republican resistance to the administration’s pandemic requirements.Schmitt followed that with Missouri v. Biden in 2022, accusing federal officials of pressuring social media companies to suppress constitutionally protected speech. The litigation became a defining part of his push against government censorship and reached a settlement in March 2026. Schmitt hailed the agreement as a victory for Americans’ First Amendment rights.Since arriving in the Senate, Schmitt has continued targeting federal bureaucracy and diversity, equity and inclusion programs. The senator has also proposed allowing Americans to sue federal officials who violate their speech rights online, extending the fights that shaped his tenure as attorney general.Schmitt’s standing in Trump’s orbit also reflects his work moving legislation. The senator managed the president’s spending cuts bill on the Senate floor in 2025 and participated in negotiations over Trump’s major tax and spending package, Semafor reported. Those roles gave the first-term senator influence beyond his seniority and demonstrated his usefulness to a White House seeking results from congressional Republicans.