JD Vance says it's 'really obvious' that Ted Cruz is ‘running for president'

WASHINGTON, DC: Vice President JD Vance thinks it is “really obvious” that Texas Sen Ted Cruz is already gearing up for a 2028 presidential campaign.

At the same time, Vance said he hasn’t decided whether he’ll run for president himself. He shared these thoughts during an interview with NBC News on Thursday, October 1, where he responded to questions about Cruz’s increasingly visible efforts leading up to the next election cycle.

JD Vance gives his opinion on Ted Cruz and his own plans

Cruz recently told MS NOW that Vance has not locked down the Republican nomination and said he wants to “certainly be part of the discussion.”

The Texas senator has also cast the GOP’s future as a choice between a “small-government, free-market conservative party” and a “big-government, nanny state party.”

Vance brushed off the apparent challenge while distinguishing Cruz’s political ambitions and his own.

“It is really obvious to me that, at this very moment, Ted Cruz is running for president,” he said. “At this moment, I’m not. I’m trying to help elect Republicans. That’s what I’m going to keep on doing.”

Vance acknowledged that the outcome of the midterm elections could become one piece of information he weighs when deciding whether to seek the presidency.

“You make these decisions by collecting as much information and trying to make a wise decision,” Vance further 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.”

Pressed on whether major Republican losses could discourage him from running, Vance declined to get ahead of the election.

Ted Cruz hits the trail in early states

Cruz isn’t facing reelection this year, so he’s been out on the road rallying for Republicans across the country.

Recently, he made appearances in Iowa and South Carolina, states that pack a big punch in the presidential primaries.

NBC News reports that later this month, he plans to head to Alaska to campaign for Sen Dan Sullivan, and then back to Texas and North Carolina to support Senate hopefuls Ken Paxton and Michael Whatley. Cruz’s spokesperson, though, described his travel in a different light.

“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,” his spokesperson told NBC News.

Meanwhile, when asked whether substantial GOP losses would convince him that the climate might not be favorable for a White House run, Vance said, “Right now, I try not to think too much in hypotheticals.”

“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,” he added.