A group of Texas Democrats has created a new super PAC called “Lose Cruz,” where they will dump millions in an attempt to prevent U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz from getting re-elected in 2024.
The Lose Cruz PAC is focused on the narrative that “Ted Cruz is failing Texas.”
The founder of the super PAC, Sean Haynes, has worked for several Democrat politicians as well as former House Speaker Joe Straus (a Republican).
The board of senior advisors includes Sawyer Hackett, a long-time adviser to former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julian Castro; Matt Angle, founder and director of the Lone Star Project; Olivia Julianna, a Gen Z activist who raised more than $2 million for abortion funds at one point; and Abhi Rahman, who most recently worked as a senior adviser and spokesperson for former State Rep. Robert Francis “Beto” O’Rourke’s failed gubernatorial campaign.
Haynes said he was pressured to start Lose Cruz by donors and elected officials. He claims that while the PAC is funded primarily by Texas-based donors, they hope to gain a more national donor base.
According to Time, a spokesperson for the PAC says they are launching with “significant resources” and they “expect to raise millions of dollars more.”
However, the spokesperson refused to give a specific figure on the record.
Reportedly, Lose Cruz already has several million that they intend to use to attack Cruz.
The new PAC highlights Cruz’ conservative voting record, saying he “has embraced Trump’s extremist ideas at the expense of Texans.”
“I think it’s really important that right now we put a lot of emphasis highlighting Cruz’s record, and sort of lay the groundwork for what’s going to be a really contentious Senate race in Democrats’ number one pick up opportunity in the country,” said Hackett. “And that’s a somewhat sad state of affairs for Democrats in the Senate, but it is our number one pick-up opportunity.”
According to the PAC, these are some of Cruz’ failures:
- Ted voted against the Respect for Marriage Act that codified same-sex marriage nationally
- Ted voted for federal abortion bans, and has supported banning abortion in cases of rape and incest
- Ted voted to give millionaires and billionaires more tax cuts while regular people struggled through the pandemic
- Ted voted against certifying the 2020 election and spreads conspiracies about voters and the integrity of American elections
- Ted voted against providing Covid relief
- Ted voted to oppose a bill that strengthened the government’s response to anti-Asian hate crimes
- Ted voted against Biden’s infrastructure bill
- Ted opposes all gun control legislation
The Lose Cruz PAC believes they have a good chance of ruining Cruz’ chances at re-election in 2024, pointing out that he won against O’Rourke in 2018 by a “narrow” three points.
Despite what the group claims, it has been close to 30 years since Democrats in Texas have won a race for a seat in the U.S. Senate. Cruz spokesman Nick Maddux has even said Democrat candidates for Cruz’ Senate seat are “completely out of touch with Texans.”
Maddux believes there is no chance Cruz will be beaten in 2024.
“The Lone Star State has a tireless champion in Sen. Ted Cruz,” said Maddux.
Cruz is being challenged by former U.S. Rep. Colin Allred, who is giving up reelection for his seat in Congress to run against Cruz. However, the new PAC has said they will not endorse a specific candidate—they just want Cruz out.
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