Several hundred Minnesotans filled St. Paul’s Harriet Island Pavilion Thursday evening to hear Senator Ted Cruz speak on his “Taking off with Ted Tour.” Senator Cruz put Minnesota on his priority list along with several other states choosing their candidate on “Super Tuesday” (March 1st).
Minnesota Campaign Coordinator Brandon Lerch says “over 700” people attended the event. Grassroots Coordinator Mandy Benz says several lawmakers were in attendance as well, many belonging to Senator Cruz’s “Minnesota Leadership Team.” State lawmakers sitting on the leadership team include Representatives Steve Drazkowski, Cindy Pugh, Glenn Gruenhagen, David Hancock, John Heintzeman, Jerry Hertaus, Tim Miller, and Jim Newberger. Congressional candidate Jason Lewis also made an appearance.
Senator Cruz began his speech by joking about Democratic candidates Senator Bernie Sanders and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, saying The Democratic field consists of “a wild-eyed socialist with ideas that are dangerous for America and the world…and Bernie Sanders.”
Cruz then listed five things he would do on his first day in office if elected President, saying he would: “Rescind every illegal and unconstitutional executive action” made by President Obama; Investigate Planned Parenthood; “Instruct the Department of Justice and the IRS” to end the “persecution of religious liberty” saying The Little Sisters of the Poor’s case would be dismissed; he would “rip to shreds” the Iranian Nuclear Deal; and move the American embassy in Israel to Jerusalem.
Cruz went on to make several other campaign promises, saying he would abolish the IRS and simplify taxes to the extent of being able to fill them out “on a postcard.” Cruz also said he would end funding for sanctuary cities, of which Minnesota has several.
In the climax of his speech Cruz rallied the crowd by saying people should follow him if they want to end the “bipartisan corruption of career politicians in both parties” and “take power out of Washington DC and (give) it back to ‘we the people.'”
Lerch says the Minnesota campaign will continue to build their caucus operation in the coming months before Super Tuesday. Cruz recently won a straw poll among Minnesota Republicans, increasing his chances of being Minnesota’s chosen Republican candidate.