U.S. Rep. Michael McCaul Doesn't Rule Out Challenging Sen. Ted Cruz in 2018

U.S. Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Austin, is not ruling out challenging U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, in 2018, but he's emphasizing that he is not focused on it for now.

"Like Reagan said, never say never, but it's not something I'm spending a whole lot of time thinking about right now," McCaul told reporters Wednesday in Austin.

McCaul, the House Homeland Security Committee chairman, has been encouraged to take on Cruz following the Texas senator's controversial showing last month at the Republican National Convention, where Cruz declined to endorse GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump. Speaking with reporters at a book signing, McCaul acknowledged that "a lot of people" have urged him to challenge Cruz and said he was flattered by their support, but stressed he has nothing to do with the effort.

"It's, I think, been sort of organic, an effort to draft, if you will," said McCaul, who is advising Trump on national security. "But right now I'm really focused on my re-election to the Congress. I'm focused on advising the nominee to regain the White House and also maintaining a majority in the House of Representatives, which is critically important to the nation."

Read more: https://www.texastribune.org/2016/08/17/mccaul-doesnt-rule-out-challenging-cruz-2018/