Evangelical voters are wary of a 2028 presidential campaign by Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX), despite being a key part of the GOP firebrand’s 2016 bid.
In multiple conversations with the Washington Examiner, attendees of the Faith and Freedom Coalition’s annual Road to Majority Conference gave nonchalant responses about supporting the Texas Republican if he were to seek the White House again.
“I think his time has passed,” said Debbie McCord, a 72-year-old retiree from Augusta, Georgia. “I saw him yesterday in our town hall, and he was very inspiring, and everything, but I don’t think he has the energy that we need to attract younger voters.
“He looked a little bit more grandfatherly yesterday than, like, the hard-charging Ted Cruz of 2016. The beard doesn’t help.”
The gathering of religious conservatives at the Washington Hilton is one of the earliest temperature checks of likely GOP primary voters before the 2028 election cycle begins.
Cruz addressed the Road to Majority conference on Thursday during a Capitol Hill town hall. But some attendees were not impressed with him.
Amy Danowski, a 66-year-old analyst from Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, said she was “kind of disappointed” that Cruz “left out the most important thing … the SAVE Act.”
“He kind of just glossed over it instead of saying yes and expounding on it,” Danowski said of Cruz’s remarks. “He just moved on.”
President Donald Trump has whipped up GOP fervor over Congress passing the SAVE America Act, which would require voter ID to cast a ballot and proof of citizenship to register to vote nationwide. But Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) has been adamant that there are not enough votes in the Senate to pass the legislation, given the 60-vote filibuster threshold. The House has passed the bill at least three times.
This week, Trump canceled the signing of a landmark housing bill on Capitol Hill in hopes of putting pressure on the Senate to pass the SAVE America Act. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) met with Trump on Thursday to discuss the legislation, although its path forward is unclear.
Other Republicans said they were more optimistic about members of the Trump administration, such as Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and former Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard.
“I wouldn’t be opposed if [Cruz] were to run,” said Domenic Greco, a 54-year-old real estate agent from Pittsburgh. “But I would like to see, like, a Marco Rubio-Tulsi Gabbard ticket. That’s my personal thoughts. Like, nothing against him, but I just feel like Marco … is more presidential.”
“Sometimes in politics, your window or your door of opportunity passes you, and you know, is that [Cruz’s] case?” said Jeff Vega, a 68-year-old nonprofit organization owner from Michigan. “Because I mean, you look now, where was JD four years ago? He wasn’t even on the horizon. Marco Rubio, where was he four years ago? And so now their stock has risen.”
However, Vega, a Hispanic man, said that because of his identity, “there is a bias for Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio.”
The Texas senator’s feud with former Fox News host Tucker Carlson over Israel did not appear to change the opinions of attendees at the Road to Majority Conference.
Cruz called Carlson “the single most dangerous demagogue in this country” in March at an event on antisemitism hosted by the Republican Jewish Coalition and National Review. Carlson has increasingly criticized Israel in the wake of the joint U.S.-Israel attack on Iran in late February. The two men have also battled over Israel and Iran since last year.
Jeff Ortiz, a board member of Iowa’s Faith and Freedom Coalition, said he “could definitely get excited about Ted Cruz.”
“I think it would remind me a little bit of trying to defend President Trump,” Ortiz, 72, said. “There’s going to be a lot of daggers and knives coming out after him. Some of it is because he’s strong in his opinions, and I think the other thing is a strong support of Israel, and that automatically puts you on a target.”
Ortiz did concede that Cruz’s spat with Carlson “would be a challenge for him,” due to the former TV host’s popularity.
Ultimately, Cruz’s best shot at the White House would be an endorsement from Trump, Republicans told the Washington Examiner. But Trump has so far pointed to Vance and Rubio as his likely successors in 2028, much to the delight of the GOP base.
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“I like Ted Cruz,” said Steven Patrick, a 42-year-old supervisor in radiation oncology from Pittsburgh.
Patrick said he wanted Rubio to run with Sen. Dave McCormick (R-PA) in 2028. “But I like Ted Cruz,” he added. “I wouldn’t have a problem supporting him, but I hope that we see him on the Supreme Court.”