Texas Border Business
Texas Border Business
Senator Ted Cruz is taking deliberate steps toward a possible 2028 presidential run, amplifying his profile as a traditional conservative and engaging in an increasingly visible dispute with Tucker Carlson. This summary is based on original reporting by Alex Isenstadt for Axios.
https://www.axios.com/local/dallas/2025/11/18/cruz-eyes-2028-run
Cruz’s approach places him in direct contrast to Vice President J.D. Vance, who is widely viewed as the leading Republican prospect for 2028 and is closely allied with Carlson. Axios reports that Cruz has positioned himself in direct competition with Vance for the GOP’s future direction.
https://www.axios.com/local/dallas/2025/11/18/cruz-eyes-2028-run
According to Axios, Cruz has been steadily assembling the typical components of a national campaign. His high-audience podcast and syndicated radio program have allowed him to cultivate a broad network of grassroots donors. He has also been active in endorsing candidates in the midterms and is preparing to host a donor retreat next year—tactical steps that strengthen his influence and future prospects.
https://www.axios.com/local/dallas/2025/11/18/cruz-eyes-2028-run
A major part of Cruz’s positioning involves drawing sharp lines on foreign policy, especially regarding support for Israel. Axios notes that his challenges to Carlson have attracted attention from pro-Israel donors who are uneasy about the party’s movement toward a more isolationist posture and concerned about Carlson’s associations with extremist figures.
https://www.axios.com/local/dallas/2025/11/18/cruz-eyes-2028-run
Cruz explained his stance in comments to Axios, saying: “We have a responsibility to speak out even when it’s uncomfortable… When voices in our own movement push dangerous and misguided ideas, we can’t look the other way. I won’t hesitate to call out those who peddle destructive, vile rhetoric and threaten our principles and our future.”
https://www.axios.com/local/dallas/2025/11/18/cruz-eyes-2028-run
Carlson, meanwhile, dismissed Cruz’s efforts. In a message to Axios, he called the move “hilarious” and added: “Good luck. That’s my comment and heartfelt view.”
https://www.axios.com/local/dallas/2025/11/18/cruz-eyes-2028-run
Cruz’s strategy carries political challenges. The Republican base has increasingly embraced an “America First” foreign-policy approach—favoring reduced international engagement—an outlook championed by both Carlson and Vance. Axios emphasizes that Cruz must compete within a party that has shifted significantly away from earlier interventionist doctrines.
https://www.axios.com/local/dallas/2025/11/18/cruz-eyes-2028-run
He also faces resistance from major donors who are hesitant to oppose the Trump administration’s preferences by supporting anyone other than Vance. Early polling indicates that Vance currently leads hypothetical 2028 Republican primary matchups.
https://www.axios.com/local/dallas/2025/11/18/cruz-eyes-2028-run
Cruz has yet to make an official announcement, but his stepped-up media engagement, donor cultivation, endorsements, and policy emphasis point toward serious interest in a 2028 campaign. Whether this more conventional Republican posture can resonate within a party increasingly defined by populism is uncertain.
— Based on reporting by Alex Isenstadt for Axios.
