The Establishment floats another squish as Cruz challenger
It’s all about taking out those who vote on principle.
The calendar turned to another day, and yet again a name is being floated as a potential challenger to Senator Ted Cruz, R-Texas (A, 97%) in a hypothetical 2018 senate primary. This time CNN reports that establishment forces are trying to get House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Michael McCaul, R, -Texas (F, 58%) to run against Cruz.
A quiet Republican campaign to oust Sen. Ted Cruz in next cycle’s Texas primary is unfolding as the conservative firebrand has launched an aggressive effort to keep his seat ahead of another likely run for the White House.
In the wake of Cruz’s controversial speech at the party convention where he refused to endorse Donald Trump, the Texas senator’s GOP critics believe there could be a new opening for an intraparty challenge. And behind the scenes, GOP donors and Texas politicians have urged Rep. Mike McCaul to consider mounting a bid against him in 2018, according to three sources familiar with the matter.
Cruz’s primetime convention speech, during which he urged Republican voters to “vote their conscience,” is of course just cover for the primary challenge. The Establishment has declared war on conservatives, and Team Trump is providing them cover, which is just as was predicted.
The establishment got their first taste of serious blood last week, when they ousted Freedom Caucus member Tim Huelskamp, R-Kan. (A, 91%). They did so by lying about Huelskamp’s record. The group that spent the most money against Huelskamp is supporting candidates for Senate this year with an average Liberty Socre® of F. Cruz is just one of their next targets, after the 2016 primary season ends in a little over a month.
Of course it isn’t just that Cruz has a solid voting record that has the Establishment upset, it is that he leads on his principles.
The convention speech is only cover for what the Establishment is really trying to accomplish, removing conservatives from the House and the Senate. You only need to look at the record of Cruz and McCaul to see what the Establishment is up to.
Liberty Score® Analysis
Cruz has the second highest Liberty Score® in the Senate. His 97 percent is only surpassed by Sen. Mike Lee who scores 100. McCaul has a failing Liberty Score® of 58 percent. Once again the Establishment is floating a go along to get along squish to primary a solid conservative.
Of course it isn’t just that Cruz has a solid voting record that has the Establishment upset, it is that he leads on his principles. He isn’t just content to vote correctly, he calls out others when they do not.
The Liberty Score® is just one way of looking at both men’s tenure in the national legislature. The Liberty Card™ provides a more comprehensive look at a member’s time in the legislature. On the 11 issue categories the Liberty Card™ examines, Cruz is far and away the more conservative choice. Here are a few places where there is significant concern about McCaul’s record:
- Budget, Spending and Debt: Cruz has a 92 percent conservative voting record on these issues. McCaul has a 60 percent voting record. McCaul, as a member of leadership, votes the way Boehner and now Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis. (F, 53%) want him too on fiscal issues.
- Civil Liberties: Cruz has an 86 percent conservative voting record on civil liberties. McCaul’s 55 percent record is all the more worrying because he is the chairman of the House Committee on Homeland Security, which deals with civil liberties every day.
- Education: When it comes to education issues, Cruz has an 80 percent conservative voting record, while McCaul has a 60 percent record.
- Energy & Environment: Cruz has a perfect conservative record on energy and the environment. McCaul has 80 percent.
- Foreign Policy and Defense: Cruz has a perfect conservative record on national security votes analyzed as part of the Liberty Card™. McCaul, who chairs the Homeland Security Committee, and is responsible for national security legislation, has a 63 percent conservative voting record on these issues.
McCaul is in no way a consistent constitutional conservative. After almost 12 years in the House, he has become a creature of Washington, and as House Homeland Security Committee Chairman, part of Speaker Ryan’s leadership team.
McCaul has proven that he can go along, to get along. That makes him the perfect choice for Establishment forces looking to remove the thorn in their side Cruz. Time will only tell if McCaul goes along. If he doesn’t, the Establishment will find someone else. They always do.
Source: The Establishment floats another squish as Cruz challenger
