Ted Cruz endorsed Steve Toth over Dan Crenshaw in Texas GOP primary
Toth criticized Crenshaw for Ukraine support and immigration stance
Crenshaw is the only Republican incumbent without Trump's endorsement in next week's primaries
Toth has been labeled a 'RINO' for opposing Governor Abbott's property tax plan
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Sen. Ted Cruz endorsed state Rep. Steve Toth over incumbent Rep. Dan Crenshaw in Tuesday's Republican primary election in Texas, positioning himself against a fellow Texas Republican in Congress as next week's vote approaches. Cruz took to X to praise Toth, stating he 'faithfully served the people of Texas in the Texas House of Representatives, championing our Texas values of liberty, limited government, and constitutional governance,' while describing him as 'an unwavering fighter for school choice, fiscal responsibility, and the next generation of Americans.' The endorsement comes as Crenshaw faces his first primary challenge since being elected to Congress in 2018, with Toth attacking the four-term incumbent for his support of Ukraine in its war against Russia and accusing him of being too moderate on immigration policy. Notably, Crenshaw stands out as the only incumbent Republican seeking election in next week's primaries across Texas, North Carolina, and Arkansas who lacks President Donald Trump's endorsement, creating a significant contrast in the race. Crenshaw has vigorously defended his conservative credentials, telling the Houston Chronicle's editorial board, 'If you think I'm not MAGA enough, then you're not following me on social media, that's the reality,' while also dismissing criticism that he doesn't support Trump enough. The campaign has grown increasingly contentious, with Crenshaw and his allies labeling Toth a 'RINO' (Republican in Name Only) for opposing Governor Greg Abbott's property tax plan, which Toth argued didn't go far enough in addressing tax concerns.
Rafael Edward Cruz (; born December 22, 1970) is an American politician and attorney serving as the junior United States senator from Texas since 2013. A member of the Republican Party, Cruz was the solicitor general of Texas from 2003 to 2008. Since 2025, Cruz has chaired the Senate Commerce Commi...
Daniel Reed Crenshaw (born March 14, 1984) is an American politician and former United States Navy SEAL officer serving as the U.S. representative for Texas's 2nd congressional district since 2019. He is a member of the Republican Party.
Crenshaw was a commissioned officer in the U.S. Navy, and serv...
Steve Hixson Toth (born November 29, 1960) is an American businessman, ordained pastor, and politician serving as a member of the Texas House of Representatives from District 15, The Woodlands area. Toth is a candidate for Texas's 2nd congressional district against Dan Crenshaw in the March 2026 Rep...
Sen. Ted Cruz endorses GOP primary challenger to Rep. Dan Crenshaw in Texas Cruz backed state Rep. Steve Toth over the incumbent in next week's Texas Republican primary election. Sen. Ted Cruz endorsed Rep. Dan Crenshaw's primary challenger. Getty Images; CQ-Roll Call, Inq. Share Add NBC News to Google Feb. 24, 2026, 6:01 PM EST By Ben Kamisar Listen to this article with a free account 00:00 00:00 Sen. Ted Cruz on Tuesday endorsed against a fellow Texas Republican in Congress, backing state Rep. Steve Toth over Rep. Dan Crenshaw ahead of next week’s primary. "Steve faithfully served the people of Texas in the Texas House of Representatives, championing our Texas values of liberty, limited government, and constitutional governance," Cruz wrote in a post on X , adding that Toth is an "an unwavering fighter for school choice, fiscal responsibility, and the next generation of Americans. "Washington needs bold leadership and representatives who will stand up for Texans at every turn," he added. Cruz is arguably Toth's highest-profile endorsement. Toth has attacked Crenshaw, a four-term incumbent, for supporting Ukraine in its war against Russia and accused him of being too moderate on immigration. Crenshaw is also the only incumbent Republican seeking election in one of the three states holding primaries next week — Texas, North Carolina and Arkansas — who doesn't have President Donald Trump's endorsement. Crenshaw has pushed back hard at the attacks on his conservative bona fides from Toth and his allies. “If you think I’m not MAGA enough, then you’re not following me on social media, that’s the reality,” Crenshaw said in a recent interview with the Houston Chronicle’s editorial board. “If you don’t think I support Trump enough, then you’re not following me, you’re not listening to a thing I say. I’m out there defending his policies pretty hard and have defended them in extremely hard places in the past." "If you want somebody who doesn’t know how to do that to represen...
