John Kennedy says he’s considering running for president: ‘Why not me on a rainy day?’

Senator John Kennedy, a Louisiana Republican, says he is considering a run for president but has not yet made a decision. He disclosed his thinking during an appearance on NBC's Meet the Press on October 4, 2026. Asked about the prospect, he answered with a joke: "Why not me on a rainy day?", according to NBC News.

The remarks came in a wider interview in which Kennedy also addressed other political subjects. He commented on President Trump posting a cell number, saying the president can turn nasty in roughly three seconds. He also argued that telling voters to distrust what their own checkbooks show will not succeed as a political strategy.

The interview aired as the midterm elections approach. Related NBC News coverage from the same period shows President Trump campaigning to promote an economy that voters are not experiencing, and Vance tempering expectations for Republicans in midterm races, according to the accompanying video headlines.

Summarized by PolitiKool from NBC News’s reporting. Read the full story at NBC News →