AUSTIN, Texas — In an interview with a teenager, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz expressed interest in another presidential run.
The Texas Republican told Brilyn Hollyand — a 15-year-old from Alabama who has previously interviewed notable conservative figures, such as Charlie Kirk and Kevin McCarthy, on his news service The Truth Gazette — that he would "absolutely" consider another run.
"In a heartbreat," Cruz said of the idea. "I ran in 2016. It was the most fun I've ever had in my life."
Cruz was one of 17 candidates who sought the Republican nomination in 2016, only to lose to Donald Trump that year. In his interview with Hollyhand, the second-term senator said there was precedent for the "runner-up" to almost always be the party's next nominee for president.
He added that his campaign raised $92 million for a presidential run, a number Cruz said was a record for Republicans. But Trump raised more than $785 million during his most recent presidential campaign. The Gazette says a full interview will be published on Christmas Eve.
Trump previously has signaled interest in running for president again in 2024, but neither he nor Cruz has officially entered the race just yet.
If Cruz doesn't run for president in 2024, he'll likely seek election to a third-term in the Senate.
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