One Unlikely Name Is Gaining Steam For Republicans In 2028, Focus Group Expert Says

Right-wing podcaster Candace Owens has emerged arsenic an improbable imaginable campaigner among Republicans successful nan 2028 statesmanlike election, according to a journalist who has conducted attraction groups connected nan matter.

Owens, erstwhile a loyal protagonist of President Donald Trump, has caused waves successful nan MAGA guidelines successful nan past year.

She's known for unfounded conspiracy theories, including that Israel played a domiciled successful nan September assassination of her friend and erstwhile colleague, Turning Point USA laminitis Charlie Kirk, and that nan first woman of France, Brigitte Macron, is transgender.

Despite nan contention surrounding Owens, Sarah Longwell, a longtime governmental advisor and laminitis of The Bulwark, reported that she has go “one of nan break-out media stars of our era.”

“Her power is progressively not confined to MAGA Republicans,” Longwell wrote successful a Monday article. “In fact, complete nan past 5 years, fewer individuals travel up much regularly than her arsenic non-politicians who group spot arsenic a imaginable early president.”

Longwell, an anti-Trump Republican strategist, published immoderate of her findings from hundreds of hours of attraction groups that she conducts crossed nan country.

“I deliberation Candace Owens is great. I would ballot for her successful a minute,” a North Carolina elector named Mycal said successful a February 2025 attraction group. Mycal is simply a Trump elector who antecedently backed erstwhile President Joe Biden.

Another Biden-to-Trump elector from North Carolina, Daniela, said successful nan aforesaid attraction group, “If we would’ve swapped retired Candace for Kamala, they would’ve had this successful nan bag.”

Daniela was referring to erstwhile Vice President Kamala Harris’ 2024 statesmanlike tally against Trump.

Kim, a Gen Z Trump elector from Virginia, said successful a January attraction group, “I’m judge I’ll drawback a batch of flack for this one, but I americium a Candace Owens fan. I deliberation she’s a very smart lady.”

The Independent has reached retired to Owens and nan White House for comment.

Owens embraced nan attraction group data, but fell short of announcing immoderate plans to tally for president.

“Wow. Looks for illustration President Trump’s effort to publically shame maine pinch a photograph of maine fighting an unwellness had nan other desired effect,” Owens wrote connected X. “10/10 would recommend!”

Owens was seemingly referring to an AI-generated image of herself on nan made-up screen of Time’s “Vile Person of nan Year.” Trump shared nan image connected Truth Social past month, writing, “Her onslaught connected nan First Lady of France is despicable. I believe, successful this case, without verification, she is an highly Low IQ individual!”

The podcaster is being sued by French President Emmanuel Macron and his woman Brigitte aft she baselessly accused nan French first woman of being transgender.

Owens has “endorsed, repeated and published a bid of verifiably mendacious and devastating lies” astir nan French president and his wife, according to a defamation suit revenge past year.

While Trump has slammed Owens’ intelligence, participants successful Longwell’s attraction groups called her “very well-grounded” and “extremely articulate.”

Owens has floated nan thought of moving for nan Oval Office before. In 2021, she wrote connected X, “I emotion America. Thinking astir moving for President.”

But according to caller polls, nan podcaster hasn’t made nan apical 4 imaginable Republican contenders.

Vice President JD Vance leads pinch 32 percent of elector support arsenic a imaginable campaigner successful nan 2028 Republican statesmanlike superior election, followed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio pinch 15 percent, according to nan 15 astir caller polls analyzed by The New York Times.

Trump’s eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., followed pinch 13 percent of elector support, and past Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who concisely ran successful 2024, pinch 6 percent.