Cruz launches ‘Saving Texas’ headquarters after GOP midterm losses

Texas Sen. Ted Cruz (R) is launching a new headquarters for his Saving Texas group in an effort to recruit and elect Republican candidates across the Lone Star State.

The headquarters for the nonprofit, which is run by Cruz’s allies, will open in Austin, intended to be a hub for establishing GOP infrastructure to win back political power in Texas .

“That means recruiting strong candidates who share our principles, rebuilding the grassroots infrastructure that has powered Republican victories for decades and raising the resources necessary to compete in every corner of our state,” Cruz said in a statement.

Cruz is now one of the only remaining statewide elected Republicans in Texas after Democrats swept its races in last week’s elections. The party will now control every state office — other than the railroad commission, which has three members — for the first time since 1986.

The big wins were somewhat of a surprise. While most pre-election polls showed Sen.-elect James Talarico (D) leading Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) in the Senate race, other Democrats frequently trailed in polls to their Republican opponents.

With top GOP leaders like Gov. Greg Abbott and Paxton now on their way out, Cruz is poised to be one of the most influential voices in the Texas Republican Party.

The Texas senator is considered one of the top GOP contenders for president in 2028, more than 10 years after he fell short against President Trump in 2016. Cruz’s seat is not up for election in 2028, so if he does win the presidency, Republicans would be down one seat in the Senate with Gov.-elect Gina Hinojosa (D) getting to choose his replacement.

Axios first reported the news about the Saving Texas headquarters.

Cruz previously told MS NOW that he wants to be “part of the conversation” for the 2028 nomination and said on a podcast that “it’s no secret” he wants to be president.

He also said he does not think that Vice President Vance is a lock for the GOP nomination, to which Vance responded that it is “really obvious” that Cruz is running for president.

While still early, some polls have already been conducted of Republican primary voters to survey preferences more than a year out from the first contests.

An AtlasIntel poll conducted Oct. 28 to Nov. 1 found Secretary of State Marco Rubio leading the pack with 46 percent support, while Cruz was way down the list with just 1 percent.