Texas Democratic Congressman Colin Allred was given a veritable launching pad on MSNBC after he announced his campaign to unseat lightning rod Texas Senator Ted Cruz in 2024. Talking with sympatico host Lawrence O’Donnell, Allred repeated some of the most blistering criticisms of Cruz enumerated in his campaign announcement video.
In his video, Allred made a particular claim that O’Donnell singled out for discussion. Allred, characterizing Cruz as being out only for himself, said plainly to Texans: “You know this.”
This isn’t about red or blue or Republicans or Democrats. This is about how Ted Cruz is too extreme for Texas. We can’t afford six more years of Ted Cruz.
— Colin Allred (@ColinAllredTX) May 4, 2023
Join our campaign to help us win: https://t.co/2dROrrPU0n pic.twitter.com/n9HomGcfhs
Anyone reading the comments beneath a Ted Cruz tweet — largely filled with vitriol, mockery and condemnation of the Senator — will see the evidence of Cruz antipathy that Allred doesn’t even bother to cite.
But after Cruz became a much-mocked meme for the horrible optics of his truncated family trip to Cancun, Allred apparently sees the need to prop Cruz up a little before he starts to really knock him down.
Before skewering Cruz yet again, Allred reminds O’Donnell that Cruz is “not just a joke,” evidently feeling compelled to remind citizens that their online mockery of the Senator hasn’t actually removed any of his senatorial powers.
Ted Cruz is “not just a joke,” Allred reminds voters — because by nature people don’t take jokes seriously. Allred’s plan — based on his first video — is to belittle Cruz while at the same time taking him very seriously. He calls Cruz someone who “doesn’t try at all” to solve problems.
Cruz is not just “Cancun Ted,” Allred wants to emphasize. “He turned his back on 30 million Texans.”
Hammering home the idea that Cruz is not just a joke, Allred says it is not just Texans who should be concerned. “The country,” Allred said, “can’t afford six more years of a Senator who tried to overthrow an American presidential election.” Here’s the launch video:
I’m running for U.S. Senate because Texans deserve a Senator whose team is Texas. Ted Cruz only cares about himself.
— Colin Allred (@ColinAllredTX) May 3, 2023
Join our campaign today: https://t.co/2dROrrQrPV pic.twitter.com/9iz9yu1rFb
