Washington: US Vice President J.D. Vance, has again sidestepped questions about a possible presidential campaign in 2028, saying Republicans should concentrate on the November mid-term elections instead of competing for a job several years away.
Vance was asked whether he could support Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth or Senator Ted Cruz if either sought the Republican presidential nomination.
“That’s an innovative way to ask the question, but I’m still not going to take the bait,” Vance told a White House Press briefing.
The Vice President said any Republican concerned about the country should focus on helping the party in the mid-terms.
“You should be focussed not on a job a few years from now; you should be focussed on the mid-terms, and that’s the approach that I’ve taken,” he said.
Vance acknowledged that some people did not accept his insistence that he was not concentrating on the next presidential contest.
“I think people sometimes don’t believe me because they assume, you’re the Vice-President, you must think about this all the time,” he said.
Vance said his immediate political objective was to elect as many Republicans as possible so the party could advance its programme during the final two years of President Donald Trump’s term.
“What I’m focussed on is trying to get as many Republicans elected as possible so that we can do as much good as possible for the second two years of the Trump administration,” he said.
Vance praised Hegseth but stopped short of offering an endorsement. “Pete is a great guy,” he said. “And, yeah, I could see myself supporting a whole host of people.”
He also described Cruz as “a very authentic and likable guy” and said he was sure the Texas senator would “do great”.
Vance maintained that his present job and the administration’s agenda demanded his full attention.
“This job is so crazy,” he said. “We get an opportunity to come to work every day and make 350 million people’s lives better. That’s what we have to be focussed on.”
The Vice President also joked about taking on another White House position following the departure of Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt. He recalled Trump warning him before the briefing that an impressive performance could result in his appointment as Press Secretary.
“So, I’ve got to screw up a little bit because I’m busy enough as it is,” Vance said.
Vance served in the US Senate from Ohio before Trump selected him as his running mate in the 2024 presidential election. His position as Vice-President has placed him among the figures discussed as potential future leaders of the Republican Party.
