Conservatives battling each other in Texas runoff

Washington Examiner ^ | July 4, 2012 | Susan Ferrechino

[Zakeet]

One of the Tea Party's most critical battles is heating up in Texas, where two conservative Republicans will slug it out for their party's Senate nomination later this month.

State and national Tea Party groups are backing former Texas Solicitor General Ted Cruz, who they hope will join a small but growing group of U.S. senators aligned with the conservative movement and pushing an agenda of less government spending, lower taxes and fewer regulations.

Cruz faces David Dewhurst, the state's lieutenant governor, in a July 31 runoff election after finishing at the top of the May 29 primary. Dewhurst beat Cruz by 10 percentage points but fell short of the 50 percent needed to avoid a runoff.

The Texas race has captivated the Republican Right. The popular blog RedState calls it "the most important battle for conservatives this year" and is pushing for a Cruz victory.

In the face of Dewhurst's apparent lead, state and national Tea Party groups are pouring money and manpower into Cruz's campaign.

They want Cruz to join the growing ranks of Tea Party senators, including Jim DeMint of South Carolina, Marco Rubio of Florida, Mike Lee of Utah, Rand Paul of Kentucky, Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania and Ron Johnson of Wisconsin.

And they have good reason to feel hopeful.

[achilles2000]

Coy? A radio station asked me to interview Dewhurst, and I did. He subsequently did things he swore up and down in the interview he wouldn’t do.

Got any more Dewhurst pimping you want to do?

[ngat]

Too bad you don’t understand the difference between what has developed recently as a Texas political establishment and the national GOPe.

[ngat]

Now, girls, stop talking amongst yourselves without pinging the man you are talking about.

[pogo101]

Now, girls, stop talking amongst yourselves without pinging the man you are talking about.

Oh, I always do, Ms. Paid Dewhurst Troll. Unless I'm dealing with someone who routinely fails to do likewise, in which case I deliberately stop. Someone like you.

I told you never to ping me again, and that includes the courtesy pings you never gave in any case. For my part, I will not give you any. Shut the eff up and never ping or otherwise deal with me ever again, troll.

[Bigun]

I understand that you are exactly what I and many others (you seem to have developed quite a fan club here) have discerned you to be and nothing more! Begone gnat!

[achilles2000]

You’re struggling, aren’t you?

I have never worked in the media or the press.

[hadaclueonce]

To me it is amazing how Dewhurst had the right playing cards when they changed the game to Jimmy Carter Cogeneration Law and now he is a brilliant business man.