Moving up in the polls after some strong debate performances, Republican presidential hopeful U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas., took his campaign to Florida on Friday.
In a fiery speech that was interrupted by cheers several times, Cruz spoke at the Republican Party of Florida’s (RPOF) Sunshine Summit in Orlando, vowing to repeal every executive order from President Barack Obama if he is elected president.
“Help is on the way,” Cruz told the cheering crowd. “Look forward to January 2017.”
Cruz turned his fire to Planned Parenthood, insisting he would have the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) investigate that group after the recent wave of videos showing its practices. Turning to religious freedom, Cruz said he would ensure the DOJ does not go after Americans’ religious liberties.
On foreign affairs, Cruz said he would end Obama’s nuclear deal with Iran on his first day as president and would move the American embassy in Israel to Jerusalem, “the once and eternal capital of Israel.”
Cruz said he offered a contrast with the other contenders running for the Republican presidential nomination.
“With me, when I tell you I’m going to do something, I’m going to do exactly what I say,” Cruz promised the crowd.
Turning to Obama‘s federal health-care law, Cruz insisted he was opposed to it.
“I will go to Congress and we will repeal every word of Obamacare," Cruz vowed. “We will pass common sense health-care reform.”
Saying he wanted to abolish the U.S. Department of Education, Cruz said he would work to end the Common Core standards.
“I will instruct the secretary of education that Common Core ends today,” Cruz told the cheering crowd.
Cruz called for ending sanctuary cities on immigration, reducing regulations on businesses and strengthening the military.
Turning to taxes, Cruz said he backed a “simple flat tax” of 10 percent and called for abolishing the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Cruz laughingly suggested sending IRS employees to secure the southern border. “You’d turn around and go home too,” Cruz said, imagining illegals having 90,000 IRS employees as their first view of America.
Cruz praised Ronald Reagan’s presidency, insisting it was a model and took aim at politics as usual.
“If you see a candidate Washington embraces, run and hide,” Cruz said, ripping “career politicians of both parties” and returning “power to we the people.”
“That’s what this campaign is all about,” Cruz told the crowd.
The Texas senator showcased his support and said he had momentum even as the GOP establishment opposed his candidacy. He also noted that states like “Florida and Texas” were doing well by embracing fiscal conservatism.
Despite former Gov. Jeb Bush and U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., being in the race, Cruz insisted he would fight for the Sunshine State.
“Florida’s primary comes at a critical time,” Cruz said, insisting the Sunshine State could prove “decisive” in 2016 in the primaries and the general elections.
Cruz was the second of 14 Republican presidential hopefuls speaking at the Sunshine Summit.
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or follow him on Twitter: @KevinDerbySSN
