Tag: U.S. Senate

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GOP Military U.S. Senate

WATCH A Retired General Put GOP Sen. John Kennedy In His Place

 

Republican Sen. John Kennedy (LA) got more than he bargained for when he tried to attack a retired general at a Senate hearing today.

During a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing, Kennedy asked Retired Major General Randy Manner about Donald Trump’s mass deportation plan and accused him of favoring “open borders.”

“It makes you angry that most Americans don’t believe in open borders, doesn’t it?” Kennedy asked.

“Not in the slightest, sir,” Manner responded.

Kennedy then asked Manner about a remark he made to CNN on October 14.

“President Trump is not like any sane leader. I’m very proud of General Milley for saying that President Trump is a total fascist,” Kennedy quoted Manner saying. “The challenge is because most MAGA Republicans, they don’t understand what fascism is. The reality is that they are, in fact, fascists themselves.”

“Did I read that accurately?” Kennedy inquired.

“Senator, I am happy to discuss my personal perspectives with you separately at any time,” the general explained. “That’s not the purpose of the hearing today.”

Kennedy: “You think you’re smarter than the American people, don’t you?”

“Absolutely not, senator,” Manner replied. “I am here to discuss the use of the military as part of this mass deportation.”

“You think you’re more virtuous than the American people, don’t you, general?” Kennedy asked.

That’s when Manner let Kennedy know he wasn’t about to take any of his crap.

“Senator, I am insulted by your comment. Senator, for 35 years, I served my country with absolute honor and distinction, and I will continue to do so.”

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Abortion Elections GOP

Ted Cruz Gets Testy When Asked About Abortion At Debate: ‘Why Do You Keep Asking Me That?’

Despite having repeatedly voted to restrict a woman’s right to control her reproductive system, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) got upset when he was asked to explain his position on the issue of abortion during a debate with his Democratic opponent, Rep. Colin Allred, Tuesday evening in the Lone Star State.

Debate moderator Jason Whitely of WFAA in Dallas asked Cruz, “Texas has one of the strictest abortion bans in the United States. There’s no exception for rape or incest, as you know. In 2021, you co-sponsored a bill in Congress that included those exceptions. But a year later, when the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, you said that you agree with the Texas law that has zero exceptions. So tonight, the question is, where do you stand on this? And we’re asking for your personal opinion as a Texan and as a father.”

Rather than respond, Cruz began to filibuster.

“Well listen, abortion is an issue many Texans and many Americans care deeply about. And it’s an issue people of good faith can disagree. People are genuinely and deeply pro-life. People are genuinely and deeply pro-choice. And there are all sorts of positions in between. I agree with the United States Supreme Court that under our Constitution, the way we resolve questions like that, questions on which we have real and genuine disagreements it’s at the ballot box, is voting.”

Whitley tried again, asking, “Senator, you do not directly answer the question,” he said. “I wanna ask you again. Do you support or oppose exceptions for rape or for incest? Again, asking as a Texan and a father tonight.”

Cruz dodged the query a second time.

“So, I wanna be very clear,” Cruz began before attacking Allred.

Whitley pressed a third time.

“Senator, I wanna give you 60 seconds,” he said. “I wanna ask you again. Why is this an issue you won’t address, about saying whether you support or oppose exceptions for–”

Cruz attacked the moderator and asked, “Why do you keep asking me that?”

Well, Ted, he probably asked because he wants to know if you’re still an anti-choice extremist. And since you’re running for reelection, it seems the least you could do is reply.

Here’s the video:

 

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Elections GOP U.S. Senate

New Texas Poll Has Some Disturbing News For Ted Cruz’s Campaign

2024 is starting to look like it could well be the end of Sen. Ted Cruz’s (R-TX) political career, with a new poll showing him with just a narrow one-point lead over his Democratic opponent, Rep. Colin Allred.

According to Newsweek, the poll comes with just a little over a month until voters go to the polls in the Lone Star State.

A Public Policy Polling/Clean and Prosperous America survey of 759 registered Texas voters showed Cruz is ahead of Allred by 47 percent to 46. In a previous August poll, the incumbent led Allred by 2 points (47 percent to 45). The poll was carried out on September 25-26. The results have a margin of error of plus or minus 3.5 percent.

But perhaps most troubling for Cruz is the fact that he’s underwater when it comes to how the voters view him, with a net favorability rating of 41% favorable and 49% unfavorable. A month ago, Cruz had a favorability of 43%, which suggests he could still be in freefall, always bad news for an incumbent.

Allred, on the other hand, has a net favorable rating of 5 points, with 40% of those surveyed giving him a positive rating and 35% saying they view him unfavorably.

All of this has Cruz struggling to find a strategy that could bolster his chances in the closing weeks of the 2024 campaign, Daniella Diaz of Politico notes.

Money is also an issue for Cruz, with Allred awash in cash.

“Allred is swimming in campaign cash, which has put Cruz back on his heels and forced conservative outside groups to engage. So far, Allred has spent $26.2 million on general election TV ads, compared to about $14.3 million for Cruz. So, two pro-Republican outside groups, including the Club for Growth-linked Win It Back PAC, are jumping in.”

Could Cruz become an also-ran? If so, he won’t have anyone to blame, as Allred is making clear by reminding Texas voters of the incumbent’s past bad decisions.

“Whether talking to voters on the campaign trail or in his TV ads, Allred is seeking to remind voters about Cruz’s jaunt to the Mexican beach during a historic freeze in the state that left millions without heat, water and access to food and is directly related to the death of more than 200 Texans. The moment was met with criticism even from his fellow Texas Republicans and considered a PR nightmare.”

How sweet would it be to see both Trump and Cruz go down in flames?

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Donald Trump Elections GOP U.S. Senate

Trump Campaign Official Suggests Ted Cruz Is About To Lose His Senate Seat

Could Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) be on the verge of losing his Senate seat in November? Such a question might seem absurd considering how conservative the Lone Star State has historically been when it comes to the people it sends to the upper chamber of Congress, but a top adviser to former president Donald Trump’s 2024 campaign is suggesting that Cruz is in trouble and could be beaten by his Democratic opponent, Rep. Colin Allred.

Chris LaCivita, a senior campaign adviser to Trump, shared his concerns on social media for the entire internet to pick over, posting on Twitter/X, “What the hell is wrong with the Senate race in Texas ? I think i know …and i think i know his name ….time to get some real professionals in to save @tedcruz.”

According to HuffPost, LaCivita’s tweet suggests growing GOP concern over Cruz’s flagging campaign, with a recent poll showing a four-point lead for Cruz 47%-43%, well within the poll’s 3.5% margin of error.

Keep in mind that Trump himself has yet to endorse Cruz in his race against Allred, which seems odd considering that the Texas Republican has staunchly defended Donald no matter what disgusting things he says or does.

LaCivita’s tweet led to plenty of social media discussion and mockery.

If Cruz does go down to defeat in November, it’s likely to be part of a larger blue wave that would see Democrats controlling the White House and both houses of Congress.

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Donald Trump Elections GOP U.S. Senate

GOP Senator Ready To Leave The Party Because She’s ‘Done’ With Donald Trump

Even if he manages to win a second term in office come November, Donald Trump may well find himself losing a member of his party in the U.S. Senate.

Manu Raju of CNN reports that during his recent discussion with Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), the senator said she’s “done” with Trump as the standard bearer of her party.

“I wish that as Republicans, we had … a nominee that I could get behind. I certainly can’t get behind Donald Trump.”

Would Murkowski renounce the GOP and become an independent?

“Oh, I think I’m very independent minded. I just regret that our party is seemingly becoming a party of Donald Trump.”

Is that a yes? Again, Murkowski refused to commit to what political affiliation she might choose.

“I am navigating my way through some very interesting political times. Let’s just leave it at that.”

Murkowski voted to convict Trump during his 2021 impeachment trial in the Senate. She also voted “present” instead of yay or nay on the confirmation of Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court after accusations of sexual assault were made against him by a former high school classmate, Christine Blasey Ford. Kavanaugh was later confirmed by a razor-thin margin, 50 to 48.

The Alaska Republican told Raju that she strongly disagrees with Trump calling January 6 prisoners “hostages” or “patriots” who deserve presidential pardons.

“I don’t think that it can be defended. What happened on January 6 was … an effort by people who stormed the building in an effort to stop an election certification of an election. It can’t be defended.”

Losing a Republican senator could be devastating to the GOP, which is seeking to regain control of the Senate in the upcoming election. And it might also mean that Trump would be unable to get his judicial nominees appointed to the bench. That alone would be a big blow to Republican efforts to confirm increasingly conservative judges.