The senator from Louisiana, John Kennedy, confirmed that he is considering running for the presidency of the United States in the 2028 elections if the Republican Party is led by weak candidates.
In an interview with Kristen Welker for the program «Meet the Press» from NBC News, when the journalist directly asked him if he was considering running, Kennedy replied straightforwardly: "Yes."
The legislator, 74 years old, clarified that his main intention remains to seek reelection to the Senate — a term that also ends in 2028 — but he left the door open to a presidential candidacy.
"If a bunch of inept people show up"
Kennedy conditioned his potential leap into the presidential race on two scenarios: that he feels he has lost effectiveness in the Senate, or that the Republican field is dominated by weak candidates.
"My current plan is to run for re-election, but as I have already said, if I believe that I can no longer be effective in the Senate, I would consider it. On my side, if a bunch of incompetent individuals run, and I truly believe they are incompetent and one of them could win, and I think I could do better, I would consider running", he stated.
"Why not me on a rainy day? Why not me to brighten their day?" he added playfully.
The Shadow of JD Vance and the Republican Field
One of the central names in discussions about 2028 within the Republican Party is Vice President JD Vance, who is leading polls among Republican voters. Kennedy refused to make direct comparisons.
“I’m not going to talk about another possible candidate. I’m still not ready. I assume that JD is going to run,” he stated.
At the same time, Secretary of State Marco Rubio has gained ground in the Republican polls, although in September he stated that "he has no plans at this moment" to run.
The president Donald Trump praised a possible joint ticket in June, stating that "JD and Marco as a team would be very difficult to beat."
The Texas senator, Ted Cruz, is also listed as a likely candidate. Vance himself stated that it was "really obvious" that Cruz was in the race.
Kennedy expressed support for a broad contest: “I believe it will be good for both parties to have a full field.”
The dispute takes on special significance because 2028 will be the first presidential election post-Trump since 2012. The Twenty-Second Amendment of the Constitution prevents the current U.S. president from being elected for a third term.
A tour of our own, without party orders
During the same interview, Kennedy spoke about his journey through several states to support Republican candidates in the midterm elections.
He traveled to Ohio to support Senator Jon Husted, who is facing a tight race against former Democratic Senator Sherrod Brown; and to New Hampshire to back former Senator John Sununu. He also plans to visit Texas and Michigan.
The legislator emphasized that he acts independently of his party's leadership: “I have my own political operation. I do not take orders from my leadership. I do things my way.”
That tour takes him precisely to New Hampshire—traditionally the site of the first presidential primary—fueling speculation about his ambitions beyond the Senate.
Louisiana, an unexpected focal point of national politics
Kennedy is not the only politician from Louisiana with presidential aspirations for 2028.
Mitch Landrieu, former mayor and former lieutenant governor of New Orleans, stated to Politico in September that he was also "considering" running, this time as a member of the Democratic Party.
No candidate has formally announced their candidacy in either of the two parties.
Kennedy, a senator since January 2017 and known for his incisive questioning in Senate hearings, thus joins a growing list of figures who are keeping their options open for a potential run for the succession of Trump, a race that is already starting to take shape.
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