Secretary of State Marco Rubio is set to campaign with President Donald Trump in Ohio on Thursday, expanding his role on the campaign trail as Republicans travel across the country to shore up support ahead of next week’s midterm elections.
Trump is returning to Ohio for the second time this month, this time bringing Rubio after the secretary made brief appearances at two campaign events in Texas earlier this week. Rubio and Vice President JD Vance are both viewed as potential contenders to succeed Trump in 2028.
Rubio joined Trump in Corpus Christi, Texas, on Tuesday. The appearance highlighted what the White House has touted as a major foreign policy achievement: the ouster of Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro and the opening of the country’s energy supplies.
“It’s an honor to work for the greatest country in the world, for the greatest president in the history of the United States of America,” Rubio said in brief remarks from the stage. “We love you, Texas.”
Rubio appeared with Trump twice Tuesday as the president held back-to-back rallies in Texas. He is now expected to travel with Trump to Chillicothe, Ohio.
The Washington Examiner reached out to the State Department for confirmation.
The appearances mark a notable turn for Rubio, whose role as the nation’s chief diplomat typically keeps him occupied with international travel and foreign policy rather than partisan campaign events. Rubio, a key architect of the administration’s Venezuela policy, used his brief appearance in Texas to promote the administration’s actions in the country.
Meanwhile, Trump and Vance have crisscrossed the country in recent weeks to bolster Republican candidates before voters deliver their verdict on the administration’s first two years. Trump is heading into the midterms with approval ratings that have remained below 40% since the war in Iran began, driving up energy prices for consumers.
Rubio’s growing visibility on the campaign trail also comes as Republicans weigh the party’s future leadership. The secretary of state has cultivated support among both the MAGA base and more centrist voters, while his appeal among Hispanic voters could offer an advantage for a party that has struggled with the demographic in recent polling.
Still, Vance currently leads Rubio in the early contest for the 2028 Republican presidential nomination. A New York Times-Siena University poll released Saturday found that 33% of voters backed Vance, compared with 23% for Rubio. Neither has publicly declared an intention to run.
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Vance recently said he would wait until after the midterm elections to decide whether to run for president, acknowledging that he might ultimately choose not to. He also cited his wife’s preference to stay out of politics. The couple has four children.
Rubio, meanwhile, has said he is not planning a presidential campaign at this time and remains focused on his duties as Secretary of State.
Claire Carter contributed to this report.