Ted Cruz says 2024 Senate re-election will be a ‘shootout’ as Democrats attack him with ‘everything they have’

PALM BEACH, Florida. Senator Ted Cruz of Texas predicts that he will “face a very serious race” when he runs for re-election next year.

Cruz made his comments Friday when he addressed dozens of major Republican donors who gathered at a donor meeting hosted by the politically powerful, financially conservative group Club for Growth.

Former Vice President Mike Pence and New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu, who are seriously considering the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, also addressed donors at a gathering at the exclusive beach resort in the seaside community.

“Some people say money doesn’t matter in politics. In fact, they never raced,” Cruz said to the laughter of the crowd, pointing to his hard-won victory for Senate re-election over then…Democratic Rep. Beto O’Rourke. “We were out of the raise and overdrawn three to one.”

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Republican Senator Ted Cruz of Texas speaks at a donor conference hosted by conservative group Club for Growth on March 3, 2023 in Palm Beach, Florida. (Fox News)

Cruz, in his speech and in a subsequent interview with Fox News Digital, argued that “after [former President] Donald Trump, there is no Republican in the country that the Democrats hate more than me,” adding, “this is what I wear as a badge of honor.” There is no Republican they would like to defeat more than me.”

And pointing to his 2024 re-election campaign, he predicted that “it’s going to be, I guess, a $100 million race… I guarantee you there are a dozen Democratic billionaires looking back at 2018 and saying, ‘We scored two points.” from defeating that son of a bitch. And next time I’ll write another million dollar check.”

Addressing the donors, he said: “That’s why I’m talking to you … I need your help again … they will come for us with everything they have.”

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While no major Texas Democrat has yet to race for the Senate, the senator predicts that “they’re going to run a serious candidate, but it would be useful to put a lot of money in the bank quickly to discourage more serious candidates.” opponents will not be able to enter. It’s a race where early money can save you the hassle of spending tons of money later in the cycle.”

Cruz warned that if the Democrats “make Texas blue, the country is lost. You can’t win a presidential election with blue Texas… Blue Texas means Democrats and Socialists control the country in sync. We cannot allow this. “

And he predicted that “it will be a shootout, but we will win.”

Cruz finished second to Trump in a wide-open and explosive race for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination. But this time he is staying out of the race for the White House, trying to run for the Senate for a third term.

Asked if he would stay on the sidelines and support the Republican presidential primary candidate, Cruz told Fox News, “They will have plenty of time for that. I’m sure it will be wild and fluffy. I suspect that these will be some kind of insults, some kind of nicknames.

Former Vice President Mike Pence speaks at a donor conference hosted by conservative group Club for Growth on March 3, 2023 in Palm Beach, Florida. (Fox News)

Former Vice President Mike Pence, who is seriously considering running for the White House, also reached out to donors on Friday.

“Republicans and conservatives can’t back down on our commitment to fiscal responsibility and reform, including common sense reforms in Social Security and Medicare,” Pence said to the crowd.

Pointing to the explosive growth of the country’s public debt and the recent birth of two granddaughters, the former vice president emphasized that “I cannot get past the debt crisis that our country is facing, and neither can you.”

And he warned that “if we put aside all the problems … if we wait 25 years to solve this problem until this mountain of debt becomes a mountain of debt, all our decisions will be bad. We can reform the welfare system.” today in ways that do not apply to current retirees or those who will retire in the next 20 years.”

If Pence launches his White House campaign, as many experts expect, he will join an area that already has his former boss, Trump.

The former vice president touted the accomplishments of the Trump-Pence administration but reiterated that when it comes to his former running mate, “different times call for different leadership…I know Republican voters across the country will pick the right leader at the right time and we’re going to win in 2024.”

New Hampshire Republican Gov. Chris Sununu speaks at a donor conference hosted by conservative group Club for Growth on March 3, 2023 in Palm Beach, Florida. (Fox News)

New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu, who has become a vocal critic of Trump in recent years, called the former president “the orange elephant in the room.”

He noted that “I supported Trump in the 16th, I supported him in the 20th. I think he did very good things. But thanks a lot, we’re moving on. Unfortunately, we had a lot of independents with us.” and just stepped aside and said no, if that’s your flag bearer, I won’t be there… I think most people agree that we have to move on if you want to win on the 24th. .”

Sununu argued that when it comes to the 2024 general election, “he has no chance.” [Trump] win.”

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The GOP governor, popular in New Hampshire, stressed that Republicans should “be inspiring in terms of our leadership. Let’s be ambitious. Let’s make us a team that people want to join and that we lead with that message.”

And he criticized the Republican Party, stating that “our messages are, quite frankly, so bad at times that we overstep our bounds… We let the Democrats define us.”