Former state solicitor general Ted Cruz, a tea party-aligned conservative once regarded as a long-shot candidate, has won the Republican runoff in Texas, where he will be the GOP nominee for the U.S. Senate in the November election. The Associated Press has called the race for Cruz over Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst. Cruz will be a heavy favorite over Democratic nominee Paul Sadler, who also won a runoff on Tuesday.
Cruz, an emerging conservative star whose father emigrated to the United States from Cuba, has drawn comparisons to Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) and has been lauded by national conservative political pundits and groups for over a year. His victory is a major blow to the Republican establishment in Texas, which lined up squarely behind Dewhurst. It’s also a victory for the tea party and national conservatives who lined up behind Cruz even when a surprise win appeared unlikely.
There was no surprise, actually. The Tea Party saw an opportunity to buy themselves a Senate seat for yet another reactionary, misogynistic dipstick and while Cruz's opponent, Texas Lt. Gov David Dewhurst, was a shoo-in 2 months ago, getting a Latino senator from Texas became a top priority for the Club For Growth crowd. Millions poured into the race from outside the state as Cruz pounded "establishment" candidate Dewhurst, all while Cruz was a former Dubya administration legal flunky.
This is the kind of seat-buying that Citizens United made possible. It's also a massive warning to Republicans: if your plans are anything other than scorched earth for the 98% and fealty to the richest 2%, you will be replaced by a Tea Party nutjob, because the money to buy your seat is pocket change to the guys at the top.
Indiana, Nebraska, now Texas. Republican "moderates" are being eliminated at the primary level, leaving behind Tea Party goons who only care about wrecking the country for the gain of their wealthy masters. If you thought this Congress was contentious, wait until January.
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