June 15, 2023
A new anti-Ted Cruz PAC launched on Wednesday, June 14, aims to spend millions to convince Texans to dump the Texas Republican senator in 2024, reports Axios.
Cruz is one of the few vulnerable Senate Republicans in 2024, while Democrats are forced to defend 23 Senate seats next year.
The PAC aims to pounce on Cruz’s low approval ratings and recent scandals in the hopes of flipping his seat.
It will be used as “a good old fashioned attack machine to expose all of Ted Cruz’s deplorable actions and the consequences of them,” Sean Haynes, founder of the Lose Cruz PAC, told Axios.
Representative Colin Allred (D-Texas) has stepped up as a serious Cruz challenger. The PAC will not support any particular Democratic candidate for now—focused instead on general opposition to Cruz.
Cruz has had a tumultuous, scandal-ridden few years since last facing re-election—including his visit to Cancún wish his wife and children during a devastating winter storm in Texas. He narrowly won re-election in 2018, besting fundraising juggernaut Beto O’Rourke by three percentage points.
The PAC already has several million dollars committed to spend attacking Cruz in the lead up to the 2024 election. It plans to pounce on recent controversies and ongoing distaste for Cruz in ad and messaging campaigns. That includes potentially linking him to Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton—who has long been mired in controversy and legal battles—culminating in his impeachment last month.
“I think one of the few times that Americans across the aisle are united is when we’re talking about how much we dislike Ted Cruz,” said Olivia Julianna, a young, political activist and social media influencer, who joins the PAC as a senior advisor.
Haynes said they hope to break up what he views as herd mentality among Texas voters. He believes there are many Texans who do not typically vote Democratic, but would be willing to vote against Cruz—especially if they knew how many people felt similarly.
Organizers told Axios they hope to reach eight figures in their fundraising efforts.
With so many Senate seats for Democrats to defend, state-level Democrats will be critical in the anti-Cruz fight.
Research contact: @axios
