Former state Solicitor General and Tea Party member Ted Cruz brought down long-time Republican and Lt. Governor David Dewhurst in a 55-45% victory July 31. Dewhurst was the presumptive nominee after the May 29th Republican primary when he received 44.6% of the vote and Cruz received 34.2% of the vote (seven other candidates divided the remainder). Texas requires a primary runoff—an election after the regular primary—because no one candidate received a majority vote (50% plus). Primaries and runoffs are held prior to the general election when the parties (typically Democrat and Republican) put forward their candidates who run in the general election.
The U.S. Senate seat Cruz is seeking was previously held by Kay Bailey Hutchison who retired after she lost her bid to unseat Governor Rick Perry in the 2010 gubernatorial election. This left an open seat (a position in which the person who has held the job—the incumbent—is not running). When someone like Hutchison retires, such open seats can lead to high profile races.
The election was closely watched because of the Tea Party’s involvement—a movement within the Republican party which supports very conservative fiscal and social policies. Its protests and support of political candidates since 2009 has steadily increased, and the Cruz victory is one of a growing trend of Tea Party success stories. Consider the state Senate race between incumbent Jeff Wentworth (R-San Antonio) who held his state Senate seat for 19 years before challenger Dr. Donna Campbell, a political newcomer backed by the Tea Party, beat him in the July runoff by a 2-1 margin. It was thought Wentworth would enjoy an incumbency effect—where most politicians are routinely re-elected making it difficult for challengers to win. Instead, Wentworth lost big time.
What is striking about both the Cruz and Campbell victories is that both were challengers, and they were also outspent by their opponents. Incumbents are re-elected typically because they have a considerable war chest (campaign monies accumulated to run for office). The Cruz-Dewhurst race cost $45 million making it the most expensive non-presidential race in the country. Cruz and Dewhurst each raised over $8 million, with Dewhurst spending another $19 million of his own money.
Campbell now faces Democrat John Courage in the November election, but she is expected to win easily because Texas is solidly Republican. Cruz now faces Democrat Paul Sadler in the November general election, but the U.S. Senate seat is considered a safe seat because the party nominee is the assumed winner given that Texas votes overwhelmingly Republican. Texans have not elected a Democrat to a statewide office since 1994.
Lone Star News Review 