A major union boss compared Republican presidential candidate Sen. [crscore]Ted Cruz[/crscore] to the Cleveland Browns, an NFL team that hasn’t had a good season for over a decade.
AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka made the comparison Wednesday in response to Cruz making an early vice presidential pick. Cruz picked former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina to be his running mate. Trumka noted the decision is like the Browns selling early playoff tickets despite not making the finals in 13 seasons.
Ted Cruz naming Carly Fiorina VP is like the #Browns putting playoff tickets on sale. #SteelersNation
— Richard L. Trumka (@RichardTrumka) April 27, 2016
Trumka faced some backlash on Twitter from Browns fans.
@RichardTrumka You DO know that Ohio is also a big union State, right?
— ConservatismDontWork (@ConservDontWork) April 27, 2016
@RichardTrumka Actually, no. Nothing like that. I’d stay away from attempting analogies if I were you.
— TinPot~#NeverTrump (@TinPotDickTator) April 27, 2016
@RichardTrumka @AFLCIO I am a die hard Browns fan, but why did you have to include Browns with those 2. We do have union steelworkers
— Wayne Wright Cole (@ndDave7085) April 27, 2016
Fiorina dropped out of the Republican primary Feb. 10 after a disappointing finish in New Hampshire. Her later endorsement Mar. 9 was not enough to save Cruz from his own dismal numbers compared to Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump. Cruz picked Fiorina a day after Trump won all five primaries held Tuesday.
“For the 13 months of this race, there has been a proven, consistent, courageous fighter,” Cruz said during his endorsement. “A fighter who terrifies Hillary. And who will do the same to our enemies. And that’s why I am proud to announce Carly Fiorina as my vice presidential running mate.”
It’s very rare for a running mate to be named this soon before the Republican National Convention. Former Republican President Ronald Reagan back in 1976 was the last to pick a vice president so early on. He eventually lost the nomination to Gerald Ford. Former Republican House Speaker Newt Gingrich criticized the move, adding it shows Cruz is out of touch with reality.
Cruz has no chance of getting the nomination without a contested convention.
Cruz and the Browns did not respond to requests for comment by The Daily Caller News Foundation.
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