Appearing live from Turning Point USA’s high-profile AmericaFest gathering, Fox News contributor Kayleigh McEnany delivered remarks that stunned many conservatives—urging Republicans not to automatically line up behind Vice President JD Vance as the party’s 2028 presidential nominee.
McEnany, a former Trump White House press secretary, praised the enthusiasm in the room but cautioned GOP leaders against closing the door on an open primary process.
“I think it’s very important that the Republican Party have a competitive primary,” she said. “It makes you stronger. In my view, the left became weaker by avoiding a real primary in 2024. I hope we see healthy competition.”
Her comments came shortly after Turning Point USA CEO Erika Kirk formally endorsed Vance from the AmericaFest stage, telling attendees that conservatives would rally to elect him “in the most resounding way possible.”
While McEnany described the endorsement as “powerful,” her emphasis on competition—rather than unity—raised concerns among Trump supporters who believe early consolidation has been key to Republican victories in recent years.
Still, McEnany acknowledged that support from Turning Point USA gives Vance a significant advantage, particularly with younger voters. She cited Fox News voter analysis showing President Donald Trump gained 11 points among young Americans between 2021 and 2024—crediting grassroots outreach efforts for that shift.
“These young people are engaged. They’re thoughtful,” McEnany said. “They’re being drawn away from shallow online culture and back toward faith, purpose, and truth.”
Founded in 2012 by conservative activist Charlie Kirk, Turning Point USA has become a major force in shaping the next generation of Republican voters, especially during the Trump era.
On the other side of the political aisle, Democrats are already floating trial balloons. A very early and speculative poll released this week showed Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez narrowly leading Vance in a hypothetical 2028 matchup—well within the poll’s margin of error.
Even Ocasio-Cortez herself conceded that early polls mean little, though she added a characteristically aggressive remark during a media interview, claiming she would easily defeat Vance if such a race occurred.
For many longtime conservatives, McEnany’s comments reignite a familiar debate: should Republicans prioritize early unity behind proven leadership, or risk internal divisions in the name of competition?
With 2028 still years away, the question is no longer if the next GOP battle is coming—but how early it will begin, and who truly stands with President Trump when it counts.