JD Vance Predicts the 2028 Dem Nominee | 7/2/26 FIRST LOOK

0:03Hey everybody, I'm Dave Rubin and this is First Look. It's Thursday, July 2nd, 2026. We've got a packed show for you today. AOC stumbles when asked about JD Vance calling her the leading Democrat for 2028. LeBron James walks away from the Lakers chasing complete happiness instead of another big payday in Los Angeles. Dwayne The Rock Johnson gets branded a coward by Hollywood leftists for refusing to play the politics game. Let's dive in. Vice President J.D. Vance isn't mincing words about the future of the Democrat Party. Speaking with Michael Knowles, Vance was asked who he sees as the leading Democrat heading into the 2028 presidential race.

0:52His answer? I think it's gotta be AOC. based on conventional wisdom and her outsized influence on American college campuses. Reporters caught up with Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Capitol Hill and pressed her for a response. After some classic ums and ahs, AOC replied, I mean, um, you know, uh, I hope he is. That's what I'll say. That's right. The so-called face of the modern Democrat Party basically wished Vance well as the likely Republican nominee. Most polling already shows Vance as the strong favorite to carry the MAGA mantle and succeed President Trump in 2028, though Secretary of State Marco Rubio has been gaining ground.

1:44Meanwhile, a previous poll found Democrats themselves view AOC as the current face of their party. When a reporter later asked Vance why he thinks Ocasio-Cortez is hoping he gets the nomination, the vice president kept his focus exactly where it belongs. I don't know. I don't think much about 2028, as you know. My attitude is, let's do a good job now. Let's continue to try and make some wins for the American people. We can worry about the future when the future comes. We got an important midterm election here. That's leadership. While Democrats are already circling the wagons around their most radical voices, the Trump-Vance administration is laser-focused on delivering results for the American people right now.

2:35AOC's non-answer says everything you need to know about where the left stands. In other news, LeBron James has officially left the Los Angeles Lakers, and according to his longtime agent Rich Paul, it wasn't about money, leverage, or market size. It was about something much harder to find in today's NBA, complete happiness. Appearing on the Game Over podcast with Max Kellerman, Paul explained that James initially seemed likely to return to LA for another season. But as the offseason progressed, that confidence evaporated. Paul emphasized that if happiness is the priority, money can't be the deciding factor.

3:21He advised James to focus on one foundational thing for this final stage of his legendary career. He doesn't owe anyone anything. You've accomplished more than any players ever accomplished, Paul recalled telling him. You got every record, all the stuff. Let's find one foundational thing to build off of. James landed on complete happiness. Weeks earlier, James had given himself an 80 % chance of returning to the Lakers. That number kept dropping until he reached a firm decision. Paul shared James' words, Listen man, I understand where things are, and I get it. I know that's where I could probably make the most money.

4:08But for me, where I'm at today, it's probably not the best thing for me to do. When asked if he was sure, James replied he was 100 % sure that that's not a place I would want to return. No formal meeting with the Lakers was needed. Conversations with Rob Palenka and J.J. Redick were cordial, but the decision was made. James departs L.A. after eight seasons, one championship, seven all-NBA selections, the 2020 title, breaking the NBA's all-time scoring record, and that unforgettable father-son moment with Bronny. Even at 41, James put up 20.9 points, 7.2 assists, and 6.1 rebounds per game last season, helping the Lakers earn the number four seed in the West.

5:06Now speculation is swirling around contenders like the Warriors, Cavaliers, Heat, and Timberwolves. A move to Golden State, especially after Draymond Green declined his massive player option, would pair him with Steph Curry for one last realistic title push. Paul says the next chapter is about having the ability to compete for the possibility of winning a championship. Market size doesn't matter as long as there is indoor and outdoor golf. For LeBron, the Lakers chapter is closed. The next one is about finding the right ending on his own terms. Hollywood is once again showing its true colors. Dwayne The Rock Johnson is being viciously attacked by fellow celebrities simply for choosing to keep his politics private and focus on his work.

6:01After telling Esquire in its summer 2026 cover story that he hates the slinging of modern politics and wants to keep the main thing the main thing, creating art and storytelling, calling, left-wing actors George Takei and Will Wheaton lashed out. Takei argued on threads that Johnson's silence makes him complicit, writing, silence is complicity. Wheaton went even further, calling Johnson a coward in a now-deleted post. Comedian Matt Reif pushed back on X, mocking the hypocrisy. I love how he's a coward, but could quite literally tear Will's throat out through his asshole. This internet comment world is so bold.

6:45Johnson has every right to step back. He endorsed Joe Biden in 2020 as an independent, but later explained on Fox News why he wouldn't endorse anyone in 2024. That earlier endorsement caused deep division, something that tears me up in my guts. His goal now is to bring the country together, not tear it apart. I'm not going to do that. I'm going to keep my politics to myself, and I think it's between me and the ballot box. This backlash reveals everything wrong with Hollywood. Conservatives and independents who dare to stay out of the leftist political circus get labeled cowards and complicit. Meanwhile, the same crowd lectures everyone else about tolerance.

7:31Good for The Rock for putting his focus back on entertainment instead of feeding the outrage machine. And that's your first look this Thursday. Quick recap, AOC fumbles when J.D. Vance names her as the current leading Democrat for 2028. LeBron James leaves the Lakers in pursuit of complete happiness over money. And Dwayne Johnson gets slammed by Hollywood elites for refusing to play their toxic political games. We'll keep following all of it. I'm Dave Rubin. Thanks for starting your day with First Look. See you tomorrow.

8:07Thank you.