Sen. Ted Cruz is making no secret of his interest in the White House, even as the Texas Republican stops short of saying whether he will launch another presidential campaign in 2028.
“It’s no secret that I want to be president,” Cruz said Wednesday during an appearance on Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick’s podcast.
Cruz, who finished second to Donald Trump in the 2016 Republican presidential primaries, described the desire to run for president as something that does not easily disappear.
“I will say, this is a bug that history has proved is rarely ended,” Cruz said of his presidential ambitions. “It is a permanent and often fatal bug.”
Patrick pressed Cruz about whether he could see himself staying out of the 2028 race, particularly with the Republican National Convention scheduled to take place in Houston.
Patrick told Cruz he “can’t imagine you not being on the stage,” citing the senator’s enthusiasm for politics and debating.
“Time will tell,” Cruz responded when asked directly whether he intends to run.
2028 Republican field beginning to take shape
The exchange comes as attention increasingly turns toward the Republican Party’s post-Trump future and a potential 2028 field.
Patrick named Cruz alongside Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, outgoing Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott as possible contenders.
“I think Greg Abbott wants to run,” Patrick said.
Abbott, who is currently seeking a record fourth term as Texas governor, has not publicly entered the 2028 contest. His campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Cruz also pushed back this week on the idea that Republicans have already settled on Vance as the party’s next standard-bearer.
“Oh no,” Cruz told MS NOW’s Ali Vitali when asked whether the party had coalesced around the vice president. “There’s going to be a full discussion about who we are and what we believe.”
Cruz was less definitive when asked about his own place in that discussion.
“There will be time to figure that out,” Cruz said. “I’ll certainly be part of the discussion, because I care deeply.”
Cruz returning to Iowa
Cruz’s comments come as he prepares for another trip to Iowa, the state that gave him a major early victory during his first presidential campaign.
He is scheduled to campaign this weekend with U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson, an Iowa Republican running for U.S. Senate. The visit will be Cruz’s second trip to the state this year after he addressed the Iowa Faith and Freedom Coalition in May.
The appearances are notable given Cruz’s history in the state. He won the 2016 Iowa Republican caucuses and ultimately captured Republican nominating contests in 11 states, including Texas.
Cruz suspended his presidential campaign in May 2016 after falling behind Trump in the delegate race. He endorsed Trump that September.
Cruz points to debates over GOP's future
Should Cruz pursue the presidency again, his recent comments offer a glimpse at the issues he could emphasize.
Cruz said he believes Republicans face significant debates over both economic and foreign policy as the party considers its direction after a decade dominated by Trump.
“Economically, I think we should be a conservative party,” Cruz told MS NOW. “And on foreign policy, we’ve got to debate: are we an isolationist party that withdraws from the world, or do we believe in American leadership? I care deeply about both of those issues, and who the party is.”
Cruz has supported using tariffs as a tool to open foreign markets while opposing their use as a permanent economic policy. He has also advocated a hawkish approach toward Iran while describing himself as neither an interventionist nor an isolationist.
For now, Cruz is leaving the question of another presidential campaign unanswered. But unlike some potential candidates who are working to tamp down speculation four years before the election, Cruz is not trying to hide his interest in the job.
One position he says he does not want is a seat on the U.S. Supreme Court. Cruz’s name has surfaced during previous discussions about potential nominees, but he again dismissed the possibility this week.
