Rick Perry Rules Out Senate Run Against Ted Cruz In 2018
WASHINGTON, D.C. (CBS NEWS) - Despite some teasing from President Trump, Secretary of Energy Rick Perry says he will not seek to challenge Senator Ted Cruz, R-Texas, in 2018.
"Not happening," Perry said on the latest episode of "The Takeout" podcast. "No. And I'm not going to run for public office again. I mean I can pretty much, categorically say (that) here on Takeout," although he then conceded that he would never want to fully rule out that option.
This summer, according to the Texas Tribune, President Trump praised Perry as a potential primary challenger to Cruz, who is running for re-election next year.
"I've been hearing a lot about that and I don't know if he wants to do it, but boy, will he do well," Mr. Trump said at an August fundraiser in Austin, Texas, which Perry attended. The president's remarks came a year after Cruz failed to endorse Mr. Trump at the Republican National Convention.
"Yeah, he alluded that," Perry, who served as Texas governor from 2000-2015, said of the president's comments. "I stepped on that very quickly."
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