Arguably the most interesting development in Texas politics this week is Rep. Steve Stockman's last-minute filing to run against Sen. John Cornyn, who had been expected to easily dispatch other Republican hopefuls who had previously filed.
For those who are unfamiliar with his background, I highly recommend Taniel's The remarkable record of Steve Stockman, which concludes:
Based on all the attention he's managed to get as a House back-bencher this year alone, imagine what he'll do and say, unleashed in a Senate campaign in which his whole goal will be to run to Cornyn's (far) right. Not that he'll have any difficulty doing that.
This Tweet captures the flavor of Stockman's extreme views and antics:
Now that y'all are primed, follow me over the jump for excerpts from Stockman's post-filing fundraising letter:
I'm running for Senate against liberal John Cornyn.
It's lengthy, so here are some excerpts (underlining original):
Dear patriot,
You are in a foxhole fighting to save our constitutional Republic…
…and the last thing you need is a Republican bayonet in your back.
But that’s what liberal John Cornyn has been doing to you every day.
And we have less than 90 days to stop him.
I’m conservative Congressman Steve Stockman, and I am running for United States Senate against liberal John Cornyn.
Got it? Cornyn is a backstabber and a liberal! ROFL
What exactly did Cornyn do?
I am honored to be called the most fearless conservative in Congress, and proud of my perfect 100% lifetime conservative rating. I am leading the fight for our values.
But John Cornyn wakes up every morning and works to make the Senate a more liberal place.
Liberal John Cornyn betrayed Ted Cruz by abandoning Republicans during the Obamacare filibuster.
Liberal John Cornyn betrayed Ted Cruz, and you, by voting to fund Obamacare.
He betrayed Ted Cruz! Supported Obamacare!
But liberal John Cornyn is now doing what he always does, spending four years voting like a Democrat, then spending the two years before an election pretending to be Republican.
And if we let John Cornyn back in the Senate he will go right back to betraying Republicans, and with a vengeance.
Well, I’m sick and tired of being bayoneted in the back by someone in my own foxhole.
He's a RINO! Betrayer! Backstabber!
Time to contrast with Stockman's record:
I am leading the fight in the House to fully investigate the terrorist attacks in Benghazi.
That’s why I have gone against the D.C. Establishment and filed a discharge petition to force an investigation and to hold Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton legally accountable.
Benghazi!
And tell Cornyn exactly where he can go:
If liberal John Cornyn loves being a senator he can move to Massachusetts.
Back to Obamacare:
Liberal John Cornyn claims to oppose Obamacare, but he votes to kill any effort to stop it because he agrees with the D.C. establishment and thinks it will buy him votes.
Every Republican who works to fund Obamacare kills freedom twice as quickly as when a Democrat does it.
^^^^That's one of my favorites.^^^^
Now, it's time to call Cornyn a traitor (without actually using the word):
I refuse to let liberal John Cornyn continue to betray Republicans and this constitutional Republic.
These next six years will determine whether our constitutional Republic lives or dies.
After asking for contributions to save our country, Stockman contrasts his hero Cruz with that backstabbing, compromising RINO:
As we saw last year when Ted Cruz became a senator, Texans want conservative champions to represent them in the United States Senate.
They do not want compromising leftists who undergo election-year conversions, then back again – and liberal John Cornyn is the worst offender.
Polls say that Texas Republicans don't like Cornyn:
In every poll liberal John Cornyn always loses to any conservative the voters have heard about.
So why has he been winning elections?
You see, liberal John Cornyn is only in office because he does two things.
First, he’s Harry Reid’s Republican until before the election, when he temporarily starts voting Republican.
He’ll tell you he’s a conservative and point to some votes, but he always goes right back to being Harry Reid’s Republican the morning after the election.
He's Reid’s Republican! Wonder if that will catch on and replace RINO?
And he's part of the D.C. establishment:
Liberal John Cornyn also ALWAYS spends his D.C. millions to smear and attack conservatives – or he’ll coordinate while his cronies in D.C. do it for him.
And liberal John Cornyn absolutely will smear and attack me, and lie to you about me.
You and I must end liberal John Cornyn’s betrayal of conservatives and his multi-million-dollar smear machine.
Smearer! Attacker! Liar!
Who's going to save our country from the threat posed by Cornyn?
When freedom is threatened Texans have always mounted up and ridden to the sound of the guns.
I’m not asking you to take a bullet or face actual bayonets.
I just need to hear from you and have your support.
We now have less than 90 days to defeat liberal John Cornyn’s multi-million dollar smear machine.
Liberal John Cornyn has betrayed conservatives for too long.
The line has been drawn in the sand.
Will you stand for liberty and help me defeat liberal John Cornyn?
[...]
Sincerely, Congressman Steve Stockman
H/T
David Nir for
linking to this letter earlier today.