Fox Business host Larry Kudlow on Tuesday floated the idea that Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) should consider launching a 2028 presidential campaign shortly after the November midterms, drawing a parallel to President Trump's own early announcement in 2022.
During an appearance on Kudlow's show, the Texas senator was pressed on whether he intends to seek the Republican nomination in 2028. Cruz sidestepped the question, emphasizing his immediate focus on the upcoming midterm elections.
"So, what I will say is there will be plenty of time to have that conversation after the midterms," Cruz said. "We're less than 60 days out from the midterms, so my focus – if we lose the House and Senate, all the legislative progress we have grinds to a halt, and it is two years of warfare against President Trump and his agenda."
Kudlow pointed to Trump's decision to declare his candidacy immediately following the 2022 midterms, a move that many initially questioned but ultimately proved pivotal in his successful 2024 bid. "I'm just putting it out there," Kudlow said. "You might want to think about it. I mean, right after he did that, a lot of people scratched their heads, and it turns out that was a close outbid. It really was."
Cruz, who ran for president in 2016 and won 11 state contests including the Iowa caucuses, eventually suspended his campaign as Trump built an insurmountable delegate lead. The relationship between the two has been fraught over the years, with Trump attacking Cruz's wife and making unsubstantiated claims of voter fraud in Iowa. Cruz later endorsed Trump for the general election but notably declined to do so at the Republican National Convention that summer, drawing boos from the crowd.
Now, Cruz is widely viewed as a potential contender for the 2028 nomination. He has said the party has not yet united behind Vice President Vance, noting that "there's going to be a full discussion about who we are and what we believe." In an interview with MSNBC's Ali Vitali, Cruz added that the GOP is "in the midst of a debate about who our party is," and there will be "time to figure out" his own role.
Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio are also seen as potential front-runners for 2028, though neither has formally declared. A recent Emerson College poll showed Rubio outperforming Vance in hypothetical matchups against Democratic opponents.
As the midterms approach, Cruz's comments reflect a broader focus on maintaining Republican control of Congress. The GOP's prospects in November remain uncertain, with Democrats eyeing pickup opportunities in several Senate races. Cruz's immediate priority appears to be preventing a Democratic sweep that could stall the Trump agenda.
While Cruz has not committed to a 2028 run, his name remains prominent in discussions about the party's future. The timing of any announcement could prove critical, as Trump's early entry in 2022 demonstrated the benefits of seizing momentum. Whether Cruz will follow that playbook remains to be seen, but Kudlow's suggestion adds fuel to the speculation.
