U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance was the preferred choice for the Republican party's next presidential candidate in a straw poll conducted at this year's Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), according to results released on Saturday local time.

Approximately 53% of the more than 1,600 participants who voted selected Vice President Vance. Secretary of State Marco Rubio placed second with 35% of the vote. CPAC is an annual major gathering for Republican lawmakers, activists, and presidential contenders.

This year's CPAC conference was held in Grapevine, Texas, with attendees primarily from the Republican party's conservative faction. The conference's annual straw poll is not a reliable predictor of the eventual nominee.

However, the vote reflects the current preferences among core supporters of the "Make America Great Again" (MAGA) movement associated with President Trump. President Trump, currently in his second term, will be ineligible to run again in 2028.

At last year's CPAC conference held in Oxon Hill, Maryland, Vance led the straw poll with 61% of the vote. Conservative podcast host and former advisor to President Trump, Steve Bannon, came in second with 12%, while Florida Governor Ron DeSantis received 7% of the vote.

Secretary Rubio, who garnered only 3% of the vote last year, has seen his political influence rise significantly after leading major overseas military actions in Venezuela and Iran during President Trump's second term.

This year's poll results indicate that conservative support is consolidating around Vance and Rubio. No other potential candidates received more than 2% of the vote.