On Sunday, Texas Republican Senate candidate and Tea Party favorite Ted Cruz talked to Chris Wallace of Fox News Sunday. The former Texas solicitor general defeated Lieutenant Governor David Dewhurst in a come-from-behind win in Tuesday’s runoff primary race.
Cruz, who has been endorsed by National Review, told Wallace that his victory is a sign that the Tea Party still has momentum. He explained,
This is part of a tidal wave that began in 2010 and that tidal wave is only stronger in 2012. Those protests died down. I think the reason is the Tea Party went to work… [V]oters are tired of career politicians in both parties, I mean, our country is at a crisis point right now… The American people are looking for new leaders who will step up and stop spending money we don’t have.”
While he prides himself as a staunch conservative, Cruz also made a point that he was willing to work across party lines. He said, “I am perfectly happy to compromise and work with anybody: Republicans, Democrats, Libertarians – I’ll work with Martians if — and the if is critical — they’re willing to cut spending and reduce the debt.”
When Wallace asked him how Mitt Romney could increase his appeal to Hispanic voters, Cruz, the son of a Cuban immigrant, argued,
I think the Hispanic community, the values that resonate in our community, are fundamentally conservative. They are faith, family, patriotism… I think what Gov. Romney needs to do and I think what he is doing is defending those values and making the case that the Obama agenda has been incredibly destructive to the Hispanic community.