Ted Cruz says his engagement in Texas primaries is due to his passion for school choice

Texas GOP Sen. Ted Cruz explained Saturday during a live interview with The Texas Tribune that the reason he does endorsements in Republican primaries is because of his passion for school choice.

"Every two years I sit down with my team and I have my team compile a spreadsheet," Cruz said during the interview. "I look at every vote that the state legislature has taken on school choice, and if you're a state legislator and you have voted in favor of choice and you're otherwise relatively conservative, you're quite likely to get my support. I engage in those races and support those candidates."

"If you voted against school choice, the chances of my supporting you are essentially zero and the odds are significant that I'm going to endorse your primary opponent," he continued. "And when I endorse, I don't do so gently."

Cruz has been a huge advocate for school choice and has pushed legislation for that particular issue, including the Student Empowerment Act and the Education Freedom Scholarships and Opportunity Act. 

“I have often said that school choice is the civil rights issue of the 21st century, and I believe no differently today than I did when I began serving in the Senate a decade ago," he told The Daily Signal in an exclusive interview.

Last year, Cruz endorsed five opponents of candidates backed by Gov. Greg Abbott in primary runoffs for the state House due to their support for school choice.

"If when I die my tombstone says that Ted played a meaningful role in bringing school choice to the kids of Texas and the kids of America, then I will die a happy man," Cruz concluded.

Charlotte Hazard is a reporter at Just the News. Follow her on X.