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Cruz Connects With Activists At GOP Convention

Republican activists who booed U.S. Senate Candidate David Dewhurst earlier cheered loudly and waved a sea of Ted Cruz placards as Dewhurst’s opponent took the stage at the state GOP convention Saturday.

Former solicitor general Cruz told Republicans the runoff election July 31 is a test of the grassroots support that put him in the two-man runoff race.

Cruz called Lt. Gov. Dewhurst a “good and honest man” who is owed respect for his years of public service.  But Cruz blasted Dewhurst’s campaign for “nasty false attack ads trying to convince every Texan I’m a red-Chinese Communist who wants to eat your children.”

Dewhurst followed the Cuban-American attorney’s fiery speech with a more toned-down attack on President Obama and a recitation of how he would use his business and public service experience in Washington.

Dewhurst drew loud, angry boos from the Tea Party crowd when he said the senate race was a choice between him, a conservative businessman, and Cruz, a lawyer who is funded by Washington special interests.

But the crowd also applauded Dewhurst when he said he’s “furious at the Republicans who, when they had a chance, didn’t pull America out of the financial ditch.”

Excerpts from Cruz’s and Dewhurst’s Saturday convention speeches are posted at the top of this page. 

Former KERA staffer Shelley Kofler was news director, managing editor and senior reporter. She is an award-winning reporter and television producer who previously served as the Austin bureau chief and legislative reporter for North Texas ABC affiliate WFAA-TV.