Vice President JD Vance said it is "really obvious" that Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, is already gearing up for a White House run, while maintaining that he himself has not yet made a decision about 2028.
Vance made the comments in an interview with NBC News published Thursday, when he was asked about Cruz's increasingly public positioning ahead of the next presidential election.
Cruz recently told MS NOW that Vance has not secured the Republican nomination and said he wants to "certainly be part of the discussion." The Texas senator has also framed the future of the GOP as a choice between a "small-government, free-market conservative party" and a "big-government, nanny state party."
Vance shrugged off the apparent challenge and drew a clear line between Cruz's ambitions and his own focus.
"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, who is not up for re-election this year, has been campaigning for Republican candidates across the country. His travels have included stops in Iowa and South Carolina, two states that play prominent roles in the presidential nominating process.
According to NBC News, Cruz is also expected to hit the trail this month for Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, as well as Republican Senate candidates Ken Paxton in Texas and Michael Whatley in North Carolina.
A spokesperson for Cruz told NBC News that the senator's attention is on 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," the spokesperson said.
Vance, for his part, acknowledged that the results of the midterm elections could be one factor he considers when deciding whether to run for president.
"You make these decisions by collecting as much information and trying to make a wise decision," Vance said. "And yeah, I mean, regardless of what happens over the next 35 days, there will be new information, new things you have to make a decision over."
When pressed on whether significant Republican losses could discourage him from launching a bid, the vice president declined to look past Election Day.
"Right now, I try not to think too much in hypotheticals," Vance said. "I'm just going to try to do as well as I can and encourage people to elect the candidates that I think are good. The American people make that decision, and when they do, then yeah, I'll have some new information to consider."
Vance also offered a realistic assessment of the political landscape facing his party.
"Historically there's always a bit of an uphill climb, and I think you definitely sense that," he said.
Still, the vice president said Republicans have reason for "cautious optimism."
With the midterms just weeks away, both men are publicly focused on helping Republican candidates win in November. But as Cruz makes stops in key early nominating states and openly says he wants to be part of the 2028 conversation, Vance made clear he sees exactly what the Texas senator is up to, even as he keeps his own decision on hold until the voters have their say.
