Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) said Saturday during a speech to the Republican Jewish Coalition that he will run for a third term in the Senate, but did not rule out another try for the presidency.
Cruz was well-received by the Jewish group, which is a traditional group to court when announcing a presidential run.
When asked directly whether he was ruling out a candidacy for president in 2024, he simply said it was to early to say what would happen.
“You can consider whatever you like,” Cruz said, when asked if running for reelection means he should no longer be considered a potential 2024 contender. “There will be plenty of time to discuss 2024 presidential. I get that that is a lot of fun in the media to do. There will be plenty of time for that.”
Most fun experience
Cruz was second to former President Donald Trump in 2016’s Republican primary.
Cruz said the experience of running for president was among the most fun he has ever had in his life, other than losing.
Additionally, the runner-up from the previous primary always has a good chance of being selected in the current one.
Cruz has come to prominence within the Senate by repeatedly challenging the status quo and by creating a top-rated podcast where he explains the behind-the-scenes goings-on of Washington D.C. and the Senate.
Wait and see
Cruz previously said he would wait to see if Trump decided to run for president again. Despite the fact that Trump did announce his candidacy last week, Cruz is in no hurry to announce his.
Cruz has not attacked Trump so far, but did suggest that Trump should delay his presidential announcement until after the midterm special Senate elecction in Georgia on December 5. Trump declined.
The argument Cruz made is that Trump would make the runoff too much about him if he were a presidential candidate.
Two Senate seats in a previous runoff both went to Democrats after Trump suggested that the 2020 presidential election was stolen from him and seemed to encourage Republicans not to vote at all, giving Democrats a tie-breaker majority with Vice President Kamala Harris casting a deciding vote when needed.