In a stunning upset, Ted Cruz – son of a Cuban immigrant, Harvard Law School graduate, and former Texas solicitor general – blew past the Republican establishment candidate, Texas Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, in the GOP primary runoff on July 31, winning by more than 13 percentage points, 56.3 to 43.2 percent.
Mr. Cruz is a darling of the tea party movement, both for his life story and his passion for limits on government. He’s also quotable, whether defending constitutional points before the Texas Supreme Court or railing against “timid career politicians” on the stump.
National tea party groups rallied behind Cruz even before incumbent Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R) opted not to defend her seat. Matt Kibbe, president of FreedomWorks for America, called the Cruz victory, "the latest step in the American people's hostile takeover of Washington." Tea party Sens. Jim DeMint (R) of South Carolina, Rand Paul (R) of Kentucky, and Mike Lee (R) of Utah stumped for Cruz, as did 2008 vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin and former GOP presidential contender Rick Santorum.
Cruz now faces Democrat Paul Sadler, a former state representative who has had only token support from the national Democratic Party. Should Cruz win, he becomes the first Hispanic US senator in Texas history. Cruz's victory also marks the first tea party breakthrough in a big, high-population state. Previous signature tea party wins have come in states like Delaware, Alaska, and Nevada.
