WASHINGTON — Texas Sen. Ted Cruz fired back at Vice President JD Vance for suggesting he is already gearing up for a 2028 bid — blasting the veep as “insecure.”
Vance, widely seen as the 2028 frontrunner, threw shade at Cruz (R-Texas) last week when he implied that the Lone Star State lawmaker was more focused on 2028 than the upcoming midterms.
“In my experience, people engage in political bomb-throwing when they’re feeling insecure,” Cruz snapped back in an interview with Politico on Saturday.
“So he’s welcome to make whatever comments he likes,” Cruz, 55, continued.
“I’m going to keep focusing on the midterms and helping us win on Election Day in the next 30 days.”
Cruz had been the second-place finisher in 2016 against President Trump, following a bitter and bruising fight.
Back in August, Cruz told MS NOW that he would “certainly be part of the discussion” in 2028 and suggested that Vance doesn’t have a lock on the 2028 GOP nod.
“It is really obvious to me that, at this very moment, Ted Cruz is running for president,” Vance responded to the jab in an interview with NBC News.
“At this moment, I’m not. I’m trying to help elect Republicans. That’s what I’m going to keep on doing.”
Many Republicans see the 2028 presidential election cycle as an opportunity to dramatically recalibrate the GOP after Trump. Traditionalists like Cruz want the GOP to return to its roots of free markets and fiscal restraint.
Meanwhile, MAGA Republicans want the party to remain in a populist direction and recommit to staying out of foreign entanglements.
Cruz, who has previously reminisced about his prior presidential run, has already engaged in some of those battles over the future of the GOP, sitting down with nicotine-pouch salesman and podcast giant Tucker Carlson for a fiery clash in June of last year.
Carlson and Vance have long been chummy, despite the veep acknowledging some recent political differences with the pundit, who has turned on Trump.
The Texas Republican crowed about his efforts to boost Republican candidates heading into the Nov. 3 midterm elections, where his home state is in play for a tough Senate race.
“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,” Cruz vowed to Politico.
“Indeed, ironically, I spent a full day on the road with JD Vance, campaigning with him when he was running for Senate in Ohio [in 2022],” the senator added. “I was very glad he won that race. I was very glad to help him.”
The Post contacted Vance’s team for comment.
