Could McCaul challenge Cruz?

A spokesman for Rep. Michael McCaul on Monday didn’t rule out the GOP lawmaker challenging Sen. Ted Cruz in his Texas primary, saying only that McCaul was focused on his House reelection bid.

“Congressman McCaul is focused on winning reelection to the House this November and continuing his work protecting the United States as the chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee,” Walter Zaykowski, a spokesman for McCaul, said in a statement.

{mosads}“He is also very focused on preserving the Republican majorities in Congress and winning the White House,” Zaykowski said.

Sources told CNN that McCaul — who was floated as successor last year to replace then-Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) — is under increasing pressure to run in 2018 against the GOP senator, who has faced criticism for refusing to endorse GOP nominee Donald Trump. 

Another source, described as close to his House reelection campaign, told CNN that McCaul hasn’t thought about a potential bid but he also hasn’t specifically ruled it out. 

McCaul has led the House Homeland Security Committee since 2013. If he wins reelection in November and keeps his position at the top of the committee he would be nearing the six-year term limit in 2018 for committee chairmen.

Speculation about a potential primary challenge comes amid lingering backlash within the GOP against Cruz, who was booed during his prime-time speech at the party’s nominating convention because he refused to endorse Trump, his former White House rival.

He also faced jeers and shouting during an at times hostile meeting with his home state delegation in Cleveland. 

GOP operative Roger Stone told The Hill last month that he and Infowars founder Alex Jones were actively exploring a challenge to Cruz in 2018. Trump has also floated launching a super-PAC to target Cruz’s reelection bid. 

Though McCaul’s campaign had just over $175,000 cash on hand at the end of June, according to the Federal Election Commission, he is considered well connected and is consistently ranked as one of the wealthiest members of Congress. 

A primary challenge against Cruz is expected to be expensive, with a senior adviser telling CNN they were preparing for a $20 million campaign. 

In addition to a potential primary challenge, Rep. Joaquín Castro (D-Texas) hasn’t ruled out running against Cruz in a general election match-up.