U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz released a podcast episode on Wednesday about why Republicans lost in the midterm elections and what he plans to do in the coming months. In the 2026 midterms, Democrats took control of the House and Senate and won statewide races in Texas. Cruz said, "Nowhere are the consequences of this election greater than in Texas."
Cruz said Republicans lost voters because they did not understand how the cost of living was affecting people and did not do enough to address their concerns. He cited rising gas, grocery and insurance prices. Cruz also called for an end to the Iran war, saying it should have been brief and decisive. He said Republicans now need to back economic policies that make a difference in working people's lives.
Cruz said he called James Talarico to congratulate him and looked forward to working together for Texas. He also vowed to fight policies such as opening the border or raising taxes. Cruz said voters were not aware of two recent Republican laws, Trump accounts and the Education Freedom Tax Credit, which he called generationally powerful.