Mark Cuban values his family structure more than any political aspirations he might have.
The Dallas Mavericks owner told ESPN’s Tim McMahon on Monday he’s leaning against running for U.S. president in 2020. Cuban previously has teased a presidential bid in 2020 and recently claimed he could beat Donald Trump.
But Cuban now cites family concerns and his fluctuating political ambition as reasons to doubt he’ll run in the next election for the highest U.S. office.
“Aspirations? No. Would I consider it? Yes. Am I leaning towards it? No,” Cuban said. “It’s not my all-time goal to be president. It’s certainly not my aspiration to have a political office. I wouldn’t run for any other office. Do I think I can be effective? Yes, but I have no desire to be a politician. If I did something, if I ran for office, if I ran for president, it would be because I thought I could have an impact.
Cuban supported Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton in 2016 but he sounds prepared to wage an insurgent campaign outside of the two major parties for Americans’ votes.
“I wouldn’t walk in saying, ‘Let me get the Republican or Democrat or Independent, at that point, Congress to work with me.’ I’d walk in with very specific programs that either the American people would support or not, and that would get me elected based off of actualities rather than promises. So, hopefully, I wouldn’t be a traditional candidate from that respect.
“But right now, I’d say it’s 90 percent no and 10 percent yes, because I think my wife might divorce me.”
Cuban will take his time to decide whether to run for president, and the fate of Trump and the country will be factors in his decision.
“I’ve got 12, 18 months to decide,” Cuban said. “Just what happens in this country (will influence the decision). If there’s a situation where I feel that I can provide the best answer, then yeah, I’ll do it. If there’s a situation where there’s somebody else that’s better, then I’ll support them. I’m more concerned with what’s best for this country than what’s best for me.”
“In a perfect world, yeah, it would be fun,” Cuban said. “But it’s not a perfect world, and I’m more concerned with what’s best for my family and what’s best for the country.”
Thumbnail photo via Kevin Jairaj/USA TODAY Sports Images
