Politics

Newt Explains Away Another Cruz

Alexis Levinson Political Reporter
Font Size:

Newt Gingrich likes Texas Senate candidate Ted Cruz enough to send out an email singing his praises, but don’t mistake that for an endorsement.

The Hill reports that as part of an effort to pay off his campaign debt, Gingrich rented out his email list to the Senate Conservatives Fund, a group backing Cruz.

Cruz, the former state solicitor general, is locked in a run-off Republican primary with Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst. With no viable Democratic candidate, whichever one wins the primary will almost certainly fill the seat being vacated by Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison.

The email comes from the Newt 2012 campaign, but is topped by the disclaimer that the content “reflects the opinions and representations of our advertiser alone, and not necessarily the opinion or editorial positions of the Newt 2012 campaign.” It attacks Dewhurst as a “deal-making moderate” unworthy of a Senate seat.

But despite appearances, Gingrich campaign spokesman R.C. Hammond told The Hill that the former Speaker of the House is staying “neutral” in the race.

Cruz was endorsed early on by one of Gingrich’s presidential primary opponents – Rick Santorum.

Follow Alexis on Twitter