Sen. Ted Cruz’s Strange Obsession

“Ted Cruz can pretend otherwise now, but he’s been obsessed with denying basic rights to LGBT people for his entire public life,” said JoDee Winterhof, Vice President of Policy and Political Affairs for the Human Rights Campaign. “If Ted Cruz doesn’t like answering questions about his record opposing marriage equality, that’s a pretty good sign even Ted Cruz knows he’s on the wrong side of history,”

Below are a just a few of the many times Ted Cruz has opposed LGBT equality during his political career, including when he attacked a fellow Republican in 2012 for marching in a pride parade. More on his anti-LGBT background can be found at www.hrc.org/2016RepublicanFacts/ted-cruz

2011: Cruz Ran For Senate On His Opposition To Same-Sex Marriage. According to the Austin American Statesman: “Cruz, a former state solicitor general, repeatedly suggested that he has the best record of fighting for conservative principles. He pointed the audience to his website, which touts his record of defending lawsuit restrictions, the state’s marriage laws and Republicans’ 2003 congressional redistricting plan in court. ‘I have spent my entire professional life defending the U.S. Constitution,’ he said.” [Austin American Statesman, 6/8/11]

2012: Cruz: “I Believe That Engaging In Homosexual Conduct Is A Choice.” “On to Cruz, the former state solicitor general who prides himself on tough talk but ignored the question I e-mailed in favor of the one he wanted to answer: ‘I believe that engaging in homosexual conduct is a choice, and I do not believe that unelected judges should force States to adopt gay marriage, against the wishes of the people. Marriage is a fundamental building block of our society, and I have a proven record of standing and fighting to protect traditional marriage between one man and one woman.’” [San Antonio Express-News, 3/4/12]

2012: Cruz:  “Faith And Freedom Are Under Assault Right Now. This President Is The First President In Modern History To Put The Stamp Of The Presidency Behind Gay Marriage.” “’Faith and freedom are under assault right now,’ Cruz said, preaching to the choir. ‘This president is the first president in modern history to put the stamp of the presidency behind gay marriage,’ he said, then added the health care law, government spending and the mandate that religiously affiliated institutions provide contraception in employee insurance plans to his list of President Barack Obama’s political sins.”  [Dallas Morning News, 8/26/12]

2013: Cruz Said People Can “Vote With Their Feet” If They Don’t Like Living In A State Without Marriage Equality. “Cruz: Now, it is perfectly normal in a fifty-state nation that the values and policy judgments in one state would differ from those in another. That’s part of the genius of federalism, that the citizens of California are going to make different decisions than the citizens of Texas or the citizens of New York or the citizens of Illinois or Florida or Vermont. And people can vote with their feet. They can choose to live in a state that most closely reflects their values. I don’t think the federal courts should be stripping away the rights of each of the fifty states to decide marriage laws for their citizens.” [FlashReport, 6/23/13]

2014 Cruz Pledged To Introduce A Constitutional Amendment To Prevent The Federal Government From Striking Down State Marriage Laws. In a press release, Cruz said, “Marriage is a question for the States. That is why I have introduced legislation, S. 2024, to protect the authority of state legislatures to define marriage. And that is why, when Congress returns to session, I will be introducing a constitutional amendment to prevent the federal government or the courts from attacking or striking down state marriage laws.’” [Ted Cruz Press Release, 10/6/14]

2015: Cruz Said LGBT Activists Had “Partisan Desire To Mandate Gay Marriage Everywhere In This Country.” The Dallas Morning News reported that “In the hour-long appearance at Morningside College in Sioux City, in Iowa’s conservative northwest corner, Cruz kept a tight focus on social issues even as he presented himself as a candidate who can appeal to many facets of the GOP. ‘Religious liberty is not some fringe view. It is the basis of this country,’ he said. He blamed gay rights activists and Democrats for the recent uproar over an Indiana law that would protect businesses who refuse to provide certain services on religious grounds. ‘Because of their partisan desire to mandate gay marriage everywhere in this country, they also want to persecute anyone who has a good faith religious belief that marriage is a holy sacrament, the union of one man and one woman and ordained as a covenant by God,’ he said.” [Dallas Morning News,4/1/2015; VIDEO]

Photo By United States Senate (Office of Senator Ted Cruz) [Public domain or Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons