Cruz-Vance rivalry heats up as Texas senator suggests VP is
Conservative principles face implementation challenges as policy meets political complexity.
This is what passes for a story in Washington now. Two of the most prominent conservatives in the country are publicly sniping at each other, and the accusation is that Ted Cruz is secretly running for president in 2028 instead of helping the party win in 2026. It feels like the political equivalent of a slow-motion car alarm going off in the middle of the night.
New Republican Times Editorial Board
Video JD Vance’s RNC midterm convention speech sparks 2028 rumors Political commentator Joe Sweeny joins Fox News to break down JD Vance's status as the Republican Party's next pick. Sweeny analyzes Vance's addresses to voters, including his speech at the Republican National Convention in Dallas.
The discussion highlights Vance's position as a millennial messenger for the MAGA movement and his rising influence within the GOP. Sen. Ted Cruz accused Vice President JD Vance of "feeling insecure" after Vance suggested the Texas Republican was already running for president in 2028, escalating a public clash between two possible contenders for the GOP nomination. "In my experience, people engage in political bomb-throwing when they’re feeling insecure," Cruz told Politico in a phone interview Saturday, responding to Vance’s claim in an interview with NBC News that it was "really obvious" Cruz was already running for president. "So he’s welcome to make whatever comments he likes," Cruz told Politico. "I’m going to keep focusing on the midterms and helping us win on Election Day in the next 30 days." Sen.
Ted Cruz, R-Texas, delivers remarks on the second day of the Republican Midterm Convention at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas, on Sept. 10, 2026. (Laura Brett/Sipa USA) Vance made the accusation in an NBC News interview on Thursday. "It is really obvious to me that, at this very moment, Ted Cruz is running for president," Vance told the outlet. "At this moment, I’m not.
I’m trying to help elect Republicans. That’s what I’m going to keep on doing." Vice President JD Vance speaks at a rally aimed at boosting local Republican candidates, including Eric Flores in Texas' 34th Congressional District, at Harlingen Convention Center, in Harlingen, Texas, Sept. 30, 2026. (Kenny Holston/The New York Times/Pool via Reuters) Vance is considered a possible contender for the 2028 Republican presidential nomination.
Cruz, who ran for the GOP nomination in 2016, has left open the possibility of another White House bid. "I’ll certainly be part of the discussion," Cruz told MS NOW in August when asked about the 2028 race.
Cruz told Politico on Saturday that he remains focused on helping Republicans keep control of the House and Senate in November, pointing to his campaign travel on behalf of GOP candidates in Georgia, Iowa, Nebraska, South Carolina and his home state of Ohio.
He told the outlet he also plans to travel to Alaska, Florida, North Carolina and South Carolina this month. "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 told the outlet.
Chairman Ted Cruz, R-Texas, talks with a reporter after a Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee roundtable on college sports in the Russell building on June 10, 2026. (CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images) That campaigning has included helping Vance during his successful 2022 Senate run in Ohio. "Indeed, ironically, I spent a full day on the road with JD Vance, campaigning with him when he was running for Senate in Ohio," Cruz told Politico. "I was very glad he won that race.
I was very glad to help him." Vance has also been campaigning for Republican candidates , with appearances in Texas and Florida last week. He is scheduled to hold a rally in Alaska on Monday.
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New Republican Times Editorial Board
This is what passes for a story in Washington now. Two of the most prominent conservatives in the country are publicly sniping at each other, and the accusation is that Ted Cruz is secretly running for president in 2028 instead of helping the party win in 2026. It feels like the political equivalent of a slow-motion car alarm going off in the middle of the night. Everyone is annoyed, nobody can ignore it, and the only people enjoying it are the Democrats who get to watch.
Vance’s camp apparently floated the idea that Cruz’s travel schedule looks more like a presidential rollout than a midterm push. Cruz, to his credit, didn't take the bait and issue a tearful statement about his love for the Senate. He fired back with a simple, honest rebuttal: he’s raising money and stumping for the party where it matters right now. He isn't wrong. The midterms are the only thing that actually counts in this town right now, and every day spent on 2028 speculation is a day stolen from the 2026 map. We are in the business of winning the House back and padding the Senate majority, not re-litigating the last primary season.
But here is the uncomfortable part for anyone who wants Republicans to hold the line. This spat is a distraction we cannot afford, and both men know better than to feed this particular beast. Cruz is a proven vote-getter and a bulldog in the Senate. Vance is the sitting Vice President and a key voice in the administration’s push to restore American manufacturing. When they go after each other, they give the D.C. press corps the exact soap opera they crave. It allows the narrative to shift from the policy wins on tariffs and border security to a personality clash that has nothing to do with the families back home who are just trying to pay for groceries.
The real question is whether this blows over by the filing deadline or festers into a genuine feud. The smart money says it’s just two intense guys with big egos, but the smart play says they need to stand next to each other and slam the Democrats on the economy. The only way this ends well is for them to make clear the target is the left, not each other. If they want to prove they are focused on the midterms, they need to act like it. We have a narrow window to lock in a working majority in both chambers, and we can't afford to burn it on a primary in the press.
Commentary written with AI assistance by the New Republican Times Editorial Board.