Vice President JD Vance says Sen. Ted Cruz is already effectively running for president in 2028, even as Vance insists he has not made a decision about launching his own campaign for the White House.
Vance made the unusually direct assessment during an interview with NBC News published Thursday as Republicans enter the final month before the Nov. 3 midterm elections.
“It is really obvious to me that, at this very moment, Ted Cruz is running for president,” Vance said. “At this moment, I’m not. I’m trying to help elect Republicans. That’s what I’m going to keep on doing.”
Cruz has not formally announced a presidential campaign.
The Texas Republican, however, has increasingly discussed the future direction of the GOP and has declined to rule out making a second run for the White House.
Cruz recently told MS NOW that Vance does not have the 2028 Republican presidential nomination locked down and said he intends to “certainly be part of the discussion.”
He also described a potential ideological debate inside the GOP over whether it should remain a “small-government, free-market conservative party” or move toward what he called a “big-government, nanny state party.”
Cruz’s activities have further fueled speculation.
The senator is not facing re-election this year but has been campaigning extensively for Republican candidates around the country.
His travels have included appearances in Iowa and South Carolina, states that traditionally play important early roles in the Republican presidential nominating process.
Cruz is also expected to campaign for Republican Senate candidates in Alaska, North Carolina and his home state of Texas during the final weeks before the midterms.
“Senator Cruz has been focused on electing Republicans up and down the ballot this November, and he will continue campaigning vigorously over the next several weeks to help make that happen,” a Cruz spokesperson told NBC News.
Cruz has additional presidential experience that most potential 2028 candidates do not.
He sought the Republican nomination in 2016 and emerged as Donald Trump’s strongest remaining rival late in the primary campaign.
Cruz won the Iowa caucuses and 10 other nominating contests before ending his campaign after losing Indiana.
He subsequently endorsed Trump and became a prominent ally of the president, although the two have continued to disagree on some policy questions.
More recently, Cruz has occasionally differentiated himself from Trump and Vance on foreign policy, tariffs and Republican primary endorsements.
He has also raised his legislative profile as chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee.
This week, the Senate approved Cruz’s bipartisan Protect College Sports Act in a 77-22 vote, giving the Texas senator a significant legislative victory as speculation about his political future grows.
Vance, meanwhile, continues to decline to say whether he will seek the presidency.
He told NBC that the outcome of November’s midterms could become one piece of information he considers when eventually making that decision.
“You make these decisions by collecting as much information and trying to make a wise decision,” Vance said.
“Regardless of what happens over the next 35 days, there will be new information, new things you have to make a decision over.”
Asked specifically whether substantial Republican losses in November could make him less likely to run, Vance remained noncommittal.
“Right now, I try not to think too much in hypotheticals,” he said.
“The American people make that decision, and when they do, then yeah, I’ll have some new information to consider.”
Vance has repeatedly maintained that his immediate political priority is helping Republicans retain control of Congress.
During a White House briefing in September, he similarly refused to engage when asked whether he could support Cruz or Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth if either sought the Republican presidential nomination.
“I’d encourage any Republican, if you care about the country — and I think all of us do — you should be focused not on a job a few years from now, you should be focused on the midterms,” Vance said at the time.
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