Cruz’s Dad: Northeastern Catholics, Jews Put Being Dems Above Religion

Pastor Rafael Cruz, father of U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, speaks during The Family Leadership Summit, Saturday, Aug. 9, 2014, in Ames, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
Start your day with TPM.
Sign up for the Morning Memo newsletter

Rafael Cruz, Sen. Ted Cruz’s (R-TX) father, on Saturday said that northeastern Jews and Catholics put their allegiance to the Democratic Party ahead of their religion.

“Unfortunately, in the northeast, the Jews are Democrats first and Jews second,” he said at an event on Saturday held by the Palm Beach County Tea Party. “This is what has happened to a great many in the Catholic church. They are Democrats first and Catholics second.”

Rafael Cruz said that Americans “need to put principle above tradition.”

“There are people voting Democrat because, ‘My grandfather or my father voted Democrat.’ Let me tell you something. The Democratic party today is not the Democratic party of John Kennedy. John Kennedy would be a Republican today,” he said.

He made the comments in response to a remark from an audience member lamenting that leaders in the Catholic church have not helped the Republican cause. The comments were flagged by the Democratic group American Bridge.

“Too many pastors and priests have not been shepherds. They’ve been too scared hiding behind their pulpit,” Rafael said in response, adding that during the Holocaust, the Church turned a blind eye to Hitler’s actions.

“The Church, which was a very potent force in Germany at the time, was responsible for crossing their hands and doing nothing,” he said.

Rafael is not officially part of Ted Cruz’s campaign team, but he often appears with his son at events and is known for making controversial remarks.

A spokesperson for Cruz’s presidential campaign did not immediately respond to TPM’s request for comment.

Watch a clip of Rafael Cruz’s remarks, courtesy of American Bridge:

Latest Livewire
104
Show Comments

Notable Replies

  1. Two words, Mr. Cruz: Laudato si’ .

  2. Avatar for buzz buzz says:

    Great Job Mr. Cruz

    You are doing an excellent job putting the kibosh on your son’s aspirations. Just keep talking…

  3. Avatar for jinnj jinnj says:

    Yep, yep … what ever that problem, whatever the beef …
    when they get down to the bottom of it … it is always them JEWS!

  4. Here’s a newsflash for you, psycho Ted’s crazy dad, other people’s religion and politics are none of your goddamn business. You just keep your pointy snoot out of other folks’ business and we’ll all get along just fine.

  5. So they should be GOP’ers first and then Catholic? And that would be A OK!

Continue the discussion at forums.talkingpointsmemo.com

98 more replies

Participants

Avatar for victorabrahamsen Avatar for ajm Avatar for bamclaugh Avatar for fgs Avatar for genomeman Avatar for artemisia Avatar for bluestatedon Avatar for teenlaqueefa Avatar for irasdad Avatar for fourlegsgood Avatar for kenstarr Avatar for dont Avatar for frankly_my_dear Avatar for joelopines Avatar for pbg Avatar for americandoughboy Avatar for barblzz Avatar for thomasmatthew Avatar for azjude Avatar for pshah Avatar for alaninsf Avatar for buzz Avatar for beattycat Avatar for jinnj

Continue Discussion
Masthead Masthead
Founder & Editor-in-Chief:
Executive Editor:
Managing Editor:
Deputy Editor:
Editor at Large:
General Counsel:
Publisher:
Head of Product:
Director of Technology:
Associate Publisher:
Front End Developer:
Senior Designer: