The 74-year-old Louisiana Republican told “Meet the Press” he plans to seek re-election but would consider running for president, and criticized Trump for publishing Sen. Tom Cotton’s cellphone number.
Sen. John Kennedy of Louisiana says he is planning to run for re-election, but has not ruled out a 2028 presidential campaign if he does not like the Republican field.
“If a bunch of, on my side of the aisle, if a bunch of goobers run, and I think they’re goobers, and one of the goobers might win, and I think I could do a better job, I would consider running,” the 74-year-old told NBC’s “Meet the Press” on Sunday. He added that he would also consider it if he concluded he could no longer be effective in the Senate.
Kennedy’s seat is on the ballot in 2028. His fellow Louisiana senator, Bill Cassidy, lost a primary earlier this year after Trump backed Rep. Julia Letlow against him.
“Zero to a-hole in about three seconds”
Kennedy also defended Arkansas Sen. Tom Cotton, whose personal cellphone number Trump made public after Cotton opposed the Sunshine Protection Act, which would make daylight saving time permanent.
“Every now and then, there are disputes in Congress that have existential significance for the future of Western civilization. Daylight Savings Time is not one of them,” Kennedy said, calling Cotton a “rock star senator.” Of the president, he said Trump “can be tempestuous” and “can go from zero to a-hole in about three seconds,” and that he should not have released the number.
Kennedy has questioned the administration before. His grilling of then-Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem over taxpayer-funded ads came shortly before she was fired.
Midterm outlook
With the Nov. 3 elections approaching, Kennedy said he plans to campaign in Texas, Michigan and Ohio. He called the Texas Senate race between Attorney General Ken Paxton and state Rep. James Talarico an “unpopularity contest” that he expects Paxton to win narrowly.
He predicted Republicans will do better than experts expect, offering to bet “a soda and a nice hat” on it, while acknowledging that cost of living is the biggest issue and that his party “should have done more” on affordability.
Reporting in this story is based on Kennedy’s interview on NBC’s “Meet the Press” and on coverage by the New York Post. The photograph is a stock file image.
