“That’s right, you’re not from Texas. That’s right, you’re not from Texas. That’s right, you’re not from Texas, but Texas wants you anyway.” So sang Lyle Lovett, years ago — and he still does. Well, I wish I were in Texas today, with voting rights: because today is the day of the Republican senatorial primary in that state, and my friend Ted Cruz is running.
A reader e-mailed me this morning to say that she would be voting for Ted. She first heard about him here on NRO, and decided to check him out. She liked what she saw, as well she might have.
I’ve been scribbling about this exceptional American for years. When Ted announced his candidacy in January 2011, I blogged about him, here. In May 2009, I wrote about him at length, here. “A great Reaganite hope,” I called him.
I won’t recapitulate what there is to say about Ted here and now. But let me just say that he embodies everything a Reagan conservative believes in. He can talk like no one’s business — he can put into words what we all want to say, and what we all want others to know. The Left can’t lay a glove on him. He’s a doer, too — as he has proven in the Supreme Court, for example. A year ago, George Will wrote a column titled “In Ted Cruz, a candidate as good as it gets.” (Here.) Exactly.
I’ve been waiting for Ted to run for office for more than ten years, and I wish I could pull the lever for him today! I will count on my fellow Texans to do so. I say “fellow,” because isn’t every real American a Texan at least in part? A Texan in spirit?