Maybe he wants to be wooed. Maybe ethnic politics are at work. Or maybe there’s something going on behind the scenes that isn’t yet clear.

Whatever the reason, U.S. Rep. Jesus “Chuy” Garcia, who has had a long-standing political alliance with Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders and has served as his biggest backer here, is making it clear the Vermont senator should not count on his support as the race for the White House approaches high gear.

“I haven’t made a decision yet,” Garcia told me in a phone conversation. “I think it’s still too early.”

Continued the freshman congressman, “I’m going to look carefully at all of the candidates and their positions.”

Sanders and Garcia have had a mutual endorsement pact going on for several years now. Garcia backed Sanders for the Democratic presidential nomination over Hillary Clinton four years ago, and Sanders endorsed Garcia for Chicago mayor over Rahm Emanuel in 2015.

But, as Garcia suggested, much has happened since, with a field of roughly two-dozen Democrats now scrambling to take on incumbent Donald Trump.

In our conversation—Garcia called me after I reported party insiders expect he will stay with Sanders—the congressmen noted he regularly sees two House colleagues who also are running this year, that he’s worked with candidate U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand of New York on legislation, and that among other candidates is a fellow Latino, former Obama cabinet member Julian Castro.

“It makes things different,” Garcia said, immediately adding, “There are more women in the race (this time). I want to be fair.” Not to mention “a fellow named Beto”—former U.S. Rep. Beto O’Rourke of Texas—and a newcomer on the national stage, South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg.

Beyond that, progressive champion U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts “has put forth a lot of policy proposals. . . .I don’t think it’s bad to have a lot of candidates.”

Garcia said he did sit down with Sanders a few weeks ago as part of a larger group. “We had a good conversation,” he said. “But people didn’t necessarily go there to pledge (their support).”

The congressman’s bottom line: “I’m not ruling out” backing Sanders again, he said. “I have a lot of respect for him. But things are a little different this time.”