Mark Cuban says he's not ruling out late third-party run for president due to coronavirus

Jack Baer
Updated

One of the most outspoken team owners in sports is again considering an entry into politics amid the chaos of the coronavirus pandemic.

Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban said in an interview with Fox News’ Chris Wallace on Sunday that he is not ruling out entering the race for president, in which he would be running as an independent candidate.

Wallace noted that the deadline to enter some state races as an independent candidate has already passed, which Cuban disregarded.

Mark Cuban: ‘I’m not just going to say no’

A partial transcript of Cuban’s response:

Unique circumstances, you just never know Chris. I never would have considered it prior to a month ago, but now things are changing rapidly and dramatically. There’s different ways to get through those issues you mentioned. I'm not saying no, but it's not something I'm actively pursuing. I'm just keeping the door open.

So much can change. You just never know. This is not something we’ve seen before. This is obviously a unique set of circumstances, and so I’m just not going to say no. You just don't know what can happen between now and November."

Cuban had previously considered a third-party run for president in 2019 — as well as 2017 — but later decided against it. The billionaire has been critical of Trump in the past, feuding with the president and his supporters on Twitter multiple times and calling him “bats--- crazy” during the 2016 campaign. However, Cuban has also been laudatory of some moves on Trump’s part.

Most of all, Cuban has been, as usual, one of the NBA’s most outspoken voices during the coronavirus pandemic.

We’ll see if it’s enough to push him into a very delayed run for president, and if he really can get through missing out on entering the race in multiple states. At the very least, it would probably mean a few more Twitter feuds with Trump.

Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban stands on stage before Cynthia Marshall, new interim CEO of the team, is introduced during a news conference, Monday, Feb. 26, 2018, in Dallas. Cuban has teased about the notion of running for president in 2020 in a campaign that could mirror President Donald Trump’s blend of reality TV and politics. But Cuban's political career could be quickly derailed by sexual harassment and misconduct allegations within his team. (AP Photo/Ron Jenkins)
Mark Cuban is talking about entering politics again. (AP Photo/Ron Jenkins)

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Originally published