Tyler Morning Telegraph Editorial
In politics winning the argument is only half the battle. The other half is winning votes. Ted Cruz an intriguing candidate for Texas attorney general (provided current AG Greg Abbott chooses not to seek re-election) knows this. Thats why his focus isnt on polishing his conservative credentials (not that they need polishing) -- its on rebuilding the party base.
The son of a Cuban immigrant Cruz 38 stands a good chance of helping to rebuild some of the Reagan-era coalitions that brought the party out of the wilderness of the Carter years.
We need to rediscover the leadership embodied by President (Ronald) Reagan and the values that have kept our nation strong including faith family limited government individual responsibility and expanding opportunity for every American Cruz contends. We need a new generation of leaders committed to making a difference not simply staying in office. We need to inspire young people and old people and all people that America has always been and must continue to be a shining city on a hill a land of hope and opportunity built upon rule of law.
He has an impressive resume - educated at Harvard and Princeton before becoming the states first Hispanic solicitor general and the youngest solicitor general in the nation. In that role he successfully defending the constitutionality of the Texas Ten Commandments monument winning in a 5-4 landmark decision before the U.S. Supreme Court; authoring a Supreme Court brief for all 50 states successfully defending the Pledge of Allegiance; and successfully representing Texas before the Supreme Court in Medellin v. Texas which held that World Court cannot bind the U.S. justice system and the president cannot order the state courts to obey it.
He served as a law clerk to Chief Justice William Rehnquist and as a domestic policy adviser to President George W. Bush.
But hes not just smart; he also understands the political process. He knows that being right isnt enough; the GOP must also be in the majority in order to win elections. And that will take rebuilding coalitions.
As the Christian Science Monitor reported recently Although the GOP has lost ground with Hispanics Cruz believes it is a fundamentally conservative community -- a community that deeply values faith and family and patriotism.
Cruz contends The Hispanic community wants social mobility and economic mobility that lets someone achieve the American dream.
Speaking in East Texas recently Cruz also showed he has a grasp of what the November 2008 election meant to the party -- and what it could mean for its future.
I believe that President Obama was elected because we failed to lead Cruz told a Lufkin crowd. But I also believe that his greatest legacy as president will be that he inspired a new generation of conservatives to rise up and defend our liberty.
Ted Cruz could be just that sort of new generation conservative ready to help lead the Republican Party back into the spotlight. Certainly he bears watching.
