Senate Debate Round-Up: Dewhurst ‘Timid Career Politician’; Cruz Strong, Conservative Fighter

By Josh Perry

At the Texas Public Policy Foundation/Empower Texans Senate debate last night in Austin it was clear why Lt. Gov. Dewhurst has skipped 19 candidate forums — he doesn’t want to have to defend his record of supporting tax increases, higher spending and in-state tuition for illegal immigrants.

In contrast, Ted showed himself to be a strong proven conservative and a fighter.

Here are some highlights of the post-debate media coverage:

• “Former Texas Solicitor General Ted Cruz repeatedly challenged Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst’s conservative credentials Thursday night…”

“The challenges we have in Washington are so grave that the answer in this election is not to go with another timid, career politician,” said Cruz, who spent five years representing Texas before the U.S. Supreme Court. “The answer is to go with a proven conservative and fighter.”
(Chris Tomlinson, Texas Republican candidates hold first debate, Associated Press)

• “From the outset, former Texas Solicitor General Ted Cruz took the fight to Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, calling him a ‘timid career politician.’”

“Cruz, who has won endorsements from several tea party standard-bearers from Washington, said there is an ideological battle afoot and that Dewhurst is not on the side of tea party conservatives.”
(Kate Alexander, Dewhurst on defensive during first Texas U.S. Senate debate, Austin American-Statesman)

• “Cruz, however, cast himself as the strongest leader of the group… Cruz jabbed Dewhurst by suggesting that lobbyists feel obligated to contribute to his campaign, and heaccused Dewhurst of supporting in-state tuition for illegal immigrants and for helping defeat a ‘sanctuaries cities’ bill last year aimed at illegal immigrants. ”
  (Gary Scharrer, GOP Senate hopefuls battle in first debate, San Antonio Express-News)

• “Dewhurst, the front-runner for the party’s nomination, spent the night defending himself from attacks — which came mostly from Cruz…Cruz went after Dewhurst immediately, using his opening remarks to criticize the lieutenant governor for failing to attend previous candidate forums”
  (David Muto, The Brief: Top Texas News for Jan. 13, 2012, Texas Tribune)

• “Former Texas Solicitor General Ted Cruz painted Dewhurst as an election-year convert to hard-line stands on taxes, spending and illegal immigration”
  (Robert Garrett, Senate rivals attack Dewhurst in Debate, Dallas Morning News)

• “Ted Cruz had the most enthusiastic following. He staked out a position on the far right…Cruz got in the best shot when he asked, “Who do you trust?” — the point being, if you are a conservative, it shouldn’t be Dewhurst.”
  (Paul Burka, BurkaBlog)

• “Most of the coverage focused on the lieutenant governor’s ability to fend off charges that he’s not an authentic conservative.”

“Former Solicitor General Ted Cruz, who has the endorsement of South Carolina Sen. Jim DeMint, leveled the most consistent criticism, needling Dewhurst for his absence in previous forums and pointing to a 2006 statement where he suggested he favored an income tax.”
(David Catanese, Dewhurst plays D against Cruz, Politico)

• “The real rhetorical punches were thrown by Cruz, and he aimed at Dewhurst throughout the night with occasional punches thrown at the Obama Administration. Dewhurst, who maintained a defensive posture throughout the debate, spent much of the night explaining his record as Lt. Gov. ‘David Dewhurst giving a lecture on cutting spending is like Charlie Sheen talking about sobriety,’ said Cruz referring to Dewhurst’s claim of cutting billions from Texas budgets.”

“Throughout much of the evening the debate centered around Cruz and Dewhurst, while the other candidates seemed to be on the periphery.”
(Teddy Wilson, Texas US Senate candidates spar in first debate, aiming criticism at Obama and frontrunner Dewhurst, American Independent)

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