Credit unions lost the opportunity to add a known supporter to the U.S. Senate Tuesday when former Texas Solicitor General and Tea Party Republican candidate Ted Cruz won the Lone Star State’s Senate run-off race against Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst. With all precincts reporting, Cruz received 57% of the vote to Dewhurst’s 43%.
Dewhurst, who bested Cruz by 11% in the May primary, was backed by CUNA and endorsed by the Texas Credit Union League. Winter Prosapio, assistant vice president of public affairs for the Texas league, said then her organization does not regularly endorse candidates, but given Dewhurst’s strong record of supporting credit unions and unwavering stance on key issues, the league made an exception.
Cruz is favored to succeed retiring Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas) against his Democrat challenger in November, former Texas State Representative Paul Sadler. Texas hasn't elected a Democrat to the U.S. Senate in nearly 25 years. Sadler won his run-off race Tuesday against relatively unknown candidate Grady Yarbrough.
