JD Vance campaigns in Ohio with 2028 in view

US Vice President JD Vance returned to Middletown, Ohio, on Friday to campaign for Republican candidates ahead of November's midterm elections while continuing to position himself for a possible 2028 presidential run.

Vance spoke at a steel plant where he said his grandfather had worked for nearly 40 years. Middletown was central to Vance's 2016 memoir, "Hillbilly Elegy," about his upbringing in the Rust Belt.

The appearance came as Republicans look toward the midterms and the later contest to succeed President Donald Trump. AFP reported that Trump's approval rating was 33 percent in a Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted last week.

Vance has not formally confirmed a 2028 run. In his speech, he emphasised his blue-collar background and said the Trump administration was making progress on affordability, while also criticising Democrats over immigration and so-called "woke" politics.

The potential Republican field also includes US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. AFP reported that Rubio has said he would not run if Vance does, while an Emerson College and The Hill poll released this week found Rubio outperforming Vance in all but one of five match-ups against leading Democratic contenders.