JD Vance 2028 buzz grows at Ohio midterm rally

US Vice President JD Vance drew signs of 2028 presidential interest at a Republican midterm campaign event in Lima, Ohio, even as he insisted the focus was on November's congressional and state races.

Vance has not declared a run for the White House in two years. But Friday's event for Republican candidates looked at times like a rally for the vice president, who greeted supporters after arriving on Air Force Two and encountered a woman wearing a "Vance 2028" cap.

"Man, it feels good to be home," Vance told the crowd in his native Ohio.

Asked by reporters how important winning Ohio was for Republicans as he looked to a possible presidential run, Vance said: "Well, look, I think it has nothing to do with 2028." He said the elections were about how Republicans would govern the country over the next two years and beyond.

The November 3 midterms could shape both President Donald Trump's final two years in office and Vance's political standing. Polls cited in the AFP account show Trump's unpopularity, the Iran war and the cost of living could cost Republicans their congressional majority.

Ohio, which voted for Trump in the last three presidential elections, is described as one of the tightest battlegrounds in the midterms. Races include Vance's former Senate seat, currently held by Jon Husted, and the governorship, where former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy is running.

Trump visited Ohio days before Vance's appearance and is due back in the state next week, according to the AFP account.

Vance is widely considered a possible frontrunner to become Trump's political heir, but he has not announced a campaign. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said he will not run against Vance, though his recent speech in Athens was widely seen as a pitch for the role.

Vance also cast an early midterm vote in Cincinnati after flying with his wife Usha, three of their four children and their dog Atlas. His role as finance chair of the Republican National Committee places him close to major party donors.