"I think any elected official, you don't close off your options," Texas Rep. Mike McCaul said about the possibility of running for Senate in 2018. | Getty McCaul won't 'close off' possibility of running against Cruz

Rep. Mike McCaul (R-Texas) was given multiple opportunities to rule out a 2018 primary challenge to Sen. Ted Cruz on Tuesday, but the chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee said at this point it would not be "smart" to rule out a run.

"I think any elected official, you don't close off your options," McCaul said at a Texas Tribune event in the state's capital on Tuesday. "I have several options potentially in front of me, and I'm not going to say no to any of them, whether it be serving an administration in a national security post, whether it be, possibly when I am term-limited on Homeland, going to chair the Foreign Relations committee — or going home ... I have five kids."


McCaul carefully broached the subject when pressed by Tribune CEO Evan Smith. The six- term congressman took a few shots at Cruz, but conceded that the first-term senator has improved since he snubbed his party's presidential nominee this summer in Cleveland.

"I think he spent a lot of time, since Day One running for president," McCaul said. "I think we deserve somebody in the Senate who is going to be representing the interests of state of Texas. I do think that after this election cycle that he has come home, that he realizes that you have to mind the store back home. I do think he has traveled the state to get that effort sort of back on track."

The 54-year-old said he comes from a generation where you "support your nominee," but also recalled how Cruz's predecessor focused squarely on her state.

"I remember Kay Bailey Hutchison, Texas was her crown jewel."