It's a Numbers Game: Is JD Vance already the Republican frontrunner for 2028—and is Ted Cruz positioning himself as the alternative?

Ryan Girdusky breaks down the biggest moments from the Republican Midterm Convention in Dallas and what they reveal about the future of the GOP. Ryan argues that Vance’s convention performance looked increasingly like an introduction to the party’s next leader, while Marco Rubio again indicated he has no plans to run for president in 2028. But Ryan sees one potential major challenger: Sen. Ted Cruz. Cruz is beginning to separate himself from Vance and Trump on one of the biggest emerging political issues—artificial intelligence regulation. Ryan explains why Cruz’s call for greater AI safeguards could become a defining issue in a future Republican presidential primary. Plus, Ryan reacts to President Trump’s proposal to give American adults $5,000 if Republicans retain Congress, including the potential trillion-dollar price tag and inflation implications. And who was the convention’s breakout star? Ryan makes the case for Rep. Brandon Gill, whose opening speech contrasted the Trump and Biden eras and generated one of the convention’s standout moments. EMAIL RYANSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.