Vice President JD Vance and Senator Ted Cruz are locked in a public dispute over their potential 2028 presidential ambitions, each accusing the other of running when they claim they are not.
Vance struck first during an NBC News interview Thursday, saying it was "really obvious" that Cruz was campaigning for the White House. "At this moment, I'm not," Vance said. "I'm trying to help elect Republicans. That's what I'm going to keep on doing."
Cruz fired back in a phone interview with Politico on Saturday, turning Vance's criticism into a question about his own insecurity. "In my experience, people engage in political bomb-throwing when they're feeling insecure," Cruz said. He added that Vance was "welcome to make whatever comments he likes."
Both are widely viewed as likely contenders for the 2028 Republican nomination. Cruz ran for the presidency in 2016 and has signaled openness to another bid. In August, he told MSNBC he would "certainly be part of the discussion" regarding 2028.
Cruz emphasized his focus on the current midterm cycle, telling Politico he would "keep focusing on the midterms and helping us win on Election Day in the next 30 days." He has campaigned extensively for Republican candidates, with recent stops in Georgia, Iowa, Nebraska, South Carolina, and Ohio. He plans additional campaign appearances this month in Alaska, Florida, North Carolina, and South Carolina.
Citing his party work over the past decade, Cruz said: "Over the last 10 years, there's no Republican in the country who has campaigned for more Senate candidates, more House candidates, more gubernatorial candidates than I have, and this year will be no exception."
Vance has also raised his national profile within GOP circles. He delivered a speech at the Republican National Convention in Dallas and spoke at a rally in Harlingen, Texas, on Sept. 30, aimed at boosting local Republican candidates.
