Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas says that Republicans will give up immigration as an issue in 2016 if they nominate a presidential candidate who has embraced “amnesty.”
Mr. Cruz said he won 40 percent of the Hispanic vote during his successful U.S. Senate campaign in Texas in 2012 even as 2012 GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney was getting 27 percent of the Latino vote nationally.
“And when I ran for Senate in Texas, I was unambiguously against amnesty,” Mr. Cruz said on Fox News’ “Hannity” program Wednesday evening. “We can compete vigorously in the Hispanic community without abandoning our principles.”
“I’ll say this: If Republicans nominate a candidate who has embraced amnesty, it means we give up that issue in 2016,” he said. “It means both candidates, the [Republican] and the Democrat, will be supporters of amnesty — that is a ticket to losing this general election.”
During Tuesday’s GOP debate, Mr. Cruz said that “we’re tired of being told we’re anti-immigrant. It’s offensive.”
Mr. Cruz said on Fox that “a bunch of those candidate on stage were embracing amnesty, and I was proud to take the other side.”
SEE ALSO: Marco Rubio: Unrealistic to ‘round up and deport’ 11M people
Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush and Ohio Gov. John Kasich have called rival Donald Trump’s get-tough plans on illegal immigration unrealistic. Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida was part of a “Gang of Eight” senators who helped craft a comprehensive bill in 2013 that provided a path to citizenship for most illegal immigrants in the country, but he has since advocated a piecemeal approach on the issue and says border security has to come first.
“There is nothing compassionate about a bunch of politicians saying ’I’m so compassionate, I’m going to give away your job,’” Mr. Cruz said. “Because that’s what they’re saying. None of them are losing their job, but they’re happy to tell working men and women across this country that your job can be taken away by people coming here illegally.”
• David Sherfinski can be reached at dsherfinski@washingtontimes.com.
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