Tuesday on FNC’s “The Ingraham Angle,” Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) defended Texas Republican U.S. Senate nominee Ken Paxton and urged fellow Republicans to back him in his bid against Democrat opponent James Talarico.
“Obviously, you represent Texas and the Senate,” host Laura Ingraham said. “But, you know, a lot of people are grousing about — they didn’t, you know, we should have had a different candidate. You know, Paxton isn’t a good candidate. Talarico’s surging. Your perspective tonight on the way Republicans and the red state voters of Texas should look at this race?”
Cruz replied, “Look, this race is a very real fight. It is serious. The polling that’s coming out all shows the race basically tied. It’s a one- or two-point race one way or the other. It’s a serious fight. And I believe we’re going to win. I think Ken Paxton is going to be the next senator from Texas. And the reason is, James Talarico’s substantive views, his record, are way, way crazy left. That’s not where the people of Texas are. But right now, the voters don’t know that. And I’ll give an example of something that broke this week, a video James Talarico did with left-wing activists from the Sierra Club, where he described, he talks about capitalism, white supremacy, and climate change. And he said all three are tools of oppression that need to be dismantled. Now, if you’re a little Marxist activist, that is manna from heaven. But if you’re a Texan, you know what? Texans don’t want to dismantle capitalism. This guy is a woke DSA activist who wants to dismantle capitalism.”
“And in those same remarks to the Sierra Club activists, he says oil and gas, the oil and gas industry is going to end,” he continued. “It’s going the way of the cassette tape. Look, if you’re running in Berkeley, California, that’s probably a good platform. But thank God Texas is not Berkeley, California. We are actually America in the heartland. And when the voters hear this guy’s kooky views, he’s going to lose. But we got a job to do between now and election day, which is to make sure they understand just how radical Talarico is.”
Ingraham said, “Yeah, I spent a lot of time in Texas, as you know, and I’ve talked to a lot of voters, some friends, and some people who, you know, like Paxton, don’t think he’s a great campaigner, wondering when he’s going to start really campaigning, wondering when Republicans are really going to put big money into this, and kind of just annoyed by the whole thing. If you could give him advice, you know, the other personal stuff, we know what that is, but advice on campaigning in this incredible state with amazing voters from all walks of life, what would your advice be tonight?”
Cruz responded, “Look, I think Ken is out there fighting, and he’s fighting to draw a contrast, draw a contrast between his record and James Talarico’s record, and Ken has been a strong conservative attorney general for the straight state. I’m strongly supporting him. Look, I’ve worked to raise millions of dollars for Ken Paxton’s campaign. The super PAC that supports me has spent millions of dollars supporting Ken Paxton’s campaign. And I got to say, some of the Republicans that are throwing rocks at Ken Paxton, my message to them is enough. Stop your bitching. We had a $200 million primary, and Ken won. And one of the reasons the numbers are close is because $200 million of attack ads were run against him, and that does damage. You want to complain, complain in the primary, it’s over. And by the way, I will say, every moderate Republican, when they win a primary, they tell conservatives, now shut up and support the nominee. My answer to everyone whining, shut up and support the nominee, and don’t hand Texas over to a communist lunatic.”
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