Former CIA official considers presidential run against Trump for GOP nomination

On Wednesday, Hurd took particular aim at Donald Trump, lamenting the fact that none of the former president's competitors posed a significant threat to him becoming the nominee again in 2024.

"The GOP will continue to lose to Democrats if Donald Trump is the nominee," Hurd told Fox News at the Iowa Faith and Freedom Spring Kick-off. "No one is taking on Trump effectively, or presenting a vision for the future."

Hurd suggested that the GOP "has an opportunity in 2024," adding that the party would only succeed if it ran candidates who "can appeal to independents and that can appeal to Democrats." He pointed out that many who wouldn't typically vote Republican could potentially swing red "because everybody thinks the country is on the wrong track."

"They want to believe in something," he said of the American people. "They believe that our best days are ahead of us, and they want someone who recognizes that we need commonsense to deal with these complicated problems in this complicated world we're living in."

Hurd acknowledged the hurdles associated with launching a presidential run, but stated nonetheless, "I've served my country before, and I won't rule out the opportunity to do it again."

While many of the Republican candidates have immersed themselves in the culture wars, Hurd has instead focused his efforts on promoting unity and hope for the future.

Hurd served as a representative for Texas' 23rd district from 2015 until 2021, and before that, he spent nine years in the CIA.

If Hurd enters the contest, he will be squaring up against the likes of Trump, Nikki Haley, Larry Elder, Asa Hutchinson, and Perry Johnson. Others, such as Florida governor Ron DeSantis, have not yet declared their candidacy, but are expected to in the coming months.