Cruz Calls for Change in New York Gubernatorial Race

In Washington, Senator Ted Cruz has expressed his desire for what he calls a new set of “New York values” to emerge in the state. He urged voters in the Empire State to “shock the country” by supporting Republican gubernatorial candidate Bruce Blakeman and ousting incumbent Governor Kathy Hochul (D) on November 3.

Cruz, speaking on WABC’s “Cats Roundtable,” criticized the Democratic Party, stating, “Right now the radicals are taking over the Democrat Party. They don’t love America. They hate America. They’re trying to destroy it.” He emphasized that for the party to return to a more moderate stance, it needs to face a significant defeat.

The senator remarked, “New York, you got a big gubernatorial race. It would shock the country to see Kathy Hochul defeated. It would be a powerful statement. New York, you can make a statement to the whole country.” Despite Cruz’s call for action, Hochul currently holds a solid lead over Blakeman, the Nassau County executive, in the polls within this predominantly blue state.

Republicans, including former President Trump, are backing Blakeman, rallying support to energize the GOP base ahead of the election.

Cruz has previously faced backlash for his comments on “New York values” during his 2016 presidential campaign, aiming to associate them with left-leaning ideals. He lost that year’s New York primary to Trump and ultimately the nomination.

In a broader context, Cruz referred to the ongoing competitive Senate race in Texas, where Attorney General Ken Paxton is facing State Representative James Talarico. He called this situation “frightening,” stating, “If Texas falls, the whole country falls,” and he urged listeners to contribute to the campaign to fight against what he described as the “lunacy” of the left.

Currently, polls indicate that Talarico has a slight edge over Paxton, with a 2.2 percentage point lead according to recent aggregates.

Amidst concerns about affordability and historical trends against the party occupying the White House, Democrats are aspiring for a blue wave in the upcoming midterm elections.

Cruz, however, seems optimistic that the extreme positions within the Democratic Party could actually benefit Republicans. He reminisced about the GOP successes in the late 20th century and argued that consistent defeats are necessary for the Democrats to return to a more rational platform. “That’s what’s gonna happen if you want to see the Democrat Party come back from crazy town,” he stated. “I’d like to live in a country where we have two parties that are relatively reasonable, and sane, and that love America.”