Cruz Mega-Donor is Gay, Pro-Pot Billionaire
Tea Party-backed Senate candidate Ted Cruz points with pride to the army of small conservative donors supporting him. But his largest longtime contributor is a gay billionaire who supports same-sex marriage and marijuana legalization, campaign finance filings show.
Peter Thiel, a German-born hedge fund manager and founder of the online payment system PayPal, gave Cruz $251,000 in 2009 for his aborted run for attorney general. The money represented 19 percent of the total raised for that campaign, which Cruz ended after Attorney General Greg Abbott decided to run for re-election.
Thiel, an early Facebook investor who was portrayed by ...
Comments (22)
Sharon Cooper Morgan via Texas Tribune on Facebook
So what's new in the Republican party?
mosesaustin
He also invented Pay Pal...This is a new low for the Dewhurst campaign. A $5000 is a campaign issue? Aguilar by association even bringing in the Bilderberg group? Really? Time for the Cruz campaign to start asking questions about Dewhurst's CIA days. How did David make all his money anyway?
Tommy Ashley via Texas Tribune on Facebook
I'm supposed to be upset that a "libertarian" gives money to promote libertarian ideas? Well, I aint!
Rudy Gonzales
There they go again! Throwing another BS item into this race to side-step the real issues. The real issue is he is a TEA party hack, hell-bent on dominating the people with fringe element decisions that counter the America we know today. Promoting limited government while backing doctor patient interference with women having to get an ultrasound/Sonogram when going to planned parenthood.
Tea Party Message - The Tea Party wants to limit the tax pain for the most affluent spreading the tax burden to the middle class. The Tea Party fail to see the positive actions of the president and negative impact even at their own expense. The Tea Party believes and supports Lindsay Graham, R-S.C., said "Do Nothing", "Not Now, Not Ever"-and the 112th Congress followed. The Tea Party believes we should develop and use our nation's fossil fuel resources even at the cost of polluting our air. The Tea Party believes that government should be strictly limited and interpret the constitution for their own issues. The Tea Party believes in the concentration of wealth in the hands of fewer and fewer people and the concentration of power in stricter, less compassionate hands in all aspects of local, state and the federal government.
Get involved locally. Register to vote. Vote your direction. Get out the vote!
Pick a side. One side or the other will control our future.
gypsy314 ne
Cruz will do the best job for all Texans and Americans if democrats would stop supporting liars and support Cruz who I think has been honest most part anyway I do not support gays or illegal aliens but with the healthcare bill that is now a Tax says all I need to do is stay focus on removing all democrats from office.
Mike Openshaw via Texas Tribune on Facebook
So what a guy does with his OWN money offends you? I care more about things like the coerced dues from labor unions going to political causes the union membership does NOT support. Not to mention tax-supported groups lobbying and campaigning against the positions of the vast majority of taxpayers.
A single large donor among many- along with tens of thousand of small donors, which is something Dewhurst does NOT have. And a really LAME attempt to try to discourage the massive grassroots support- not only from Tea Party but rank and file GOP members, as demonstrated at the state convention.
Jim Arnold
Can you say hypocrite in Spanish?
alice shukalo
Good. We have a smart, successful Cruz supporter who favors equal rights to all for legalized domestic partnerships and the decriminalization of the possession of a substance whose illegality has caused far more problems that it has solved. In fact, marijuana being illegal has solved NO problems. Plus, he founded PayPal! And who hasn't used PayPal? How refreshing to find a conservative who breaks stereotype and supports not only Cruz but also the values of marriage, family, and the legalization of a plant that has had detrimental effects only because of the laws abolishing its possession. Human beings are complex creatures in our values and allegiances, and we would be better off to accept this rather than pretend to be aghast because Thiel defies our stereotype of what a "conservative" is.
John Holladay via Texas Tribune on Facebook
We have a track record of lies and deception for Dewy. Look to what really happened in the 82nd Tx Legislative session – all the GOP types who tell you it was great and a conservative victory are either fools or lairs. The votes on the floor looked conservative but the real destruction was in the back room & committees – Dewy was a major part of this.
Cruz has warts but Dewy has leprosy.
Toby Marie Walker via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Why is this even news? What are you suggesting? Are you suggesting that David Dewhurst does not have a gay supporter anywhere in his donor list? I find that hard to believe, and if Ted Cruz was desperate enough to go after Dewhurst donors I'm pretty sure he could find enough dirt on one of them for the Texas Tribune to do a story.
In the end this is a big "Who cares" yawner.
John Holladay via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Toby, nope - not trying to suggest Dewy is clean. This story is only menainful cause TT wrote it - Dewy poor record and past speaks wonders. Now, why the story? Desperate Dewy it is :)
John Holladay via Texas Tribune on Facebook
O and Toby, have a great day.
Toby Marie Walker via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Hi John! I hope you have a great day too! Keep up the good work.
Justin Mills via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Being gay or pro-pot are not necessarily anti-conservative. Dewhurst and his campaign are grasping for anything they can use to scare little old ladies into voting, once again, for the big government, big spending Republican that cares nothing for individual freedom.
jpt51
It's pretty sad when Texans of a conservative persuasion must choose between a staunch Libertarian pr Vulcher Capitalist to see who best represent us in the U.S. Senate. I say to heck with these posers who actually represent the 1%. My vote will go to Paul Sadler, a person with common sense and a proven record that represents the values of most Texans.
Carol Goodwin
The wealthy donor, Mr Thiel, appears to dislike Dewhurst and this places him in a majority. I do NOT like Dewhurst and have not liked him since the first time I met him, when Ann Richards was governor. ( I DID like her!) I haven't liked any of the party represented by the jackass since then. I really do not approve of the 'two-party' system because it is never about who the best person is for the country or the people but a battle to see which puppet will do the bidding of the 'establishment'; another entity which I do NOT like.
Debbie Spencer via Texas Tribune on Facebook
I wish there was a democrat running. Both of these candidates are disgusting.
Jason C.N. Smith via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Is Ted Cruz pro gay rights?
Mike Snyder
When are people going to grow up and stop gay bashing? Who cares if he's gay, short, tall, Catholic or Protestant, what underwear he prefers, what his favorite books are, ad infinitum ad nauseum. The way gay is used here is unfortunate and I hope a one-time error. It would make sense if the "writer" mentioned Cruz is anti-gay, or rabidly opposed to same-sex marriages and smoking pot. That's what happens when you sit down to write a story without having organized all your notes organized.
Amy Eldred
Once again, Dewworst is stooping to the Chicago thug tactics employed by POTUS. Demonizing the wealthy and targeting their personal lives. It's Thiel's money...what he does with it is his business. (And a true libertarian would believe in absolute liberty.) So does anyone really think that DD will represent TX honestly and with integrity? Cruz is not bound by any law that says he cannot take these donations. They may not be on the same page with SOCIAL issues, but belief in personal LIBERTY is a powerful and critical philosophy to uphold the American way of life.
Lisa Whitehead
Once again, I'm embarrassed to be from Texas. For some reason, the people of this state are perfectly happy to have a boneheaded nitwit as their Governor, who is just as embarrassingly inept as "W", maybe even more so. Now, Jay Root is trying to demonize Peter Thiel JUST for being gay?!? Get over yourself, Mr. Root and write about something that actually MATTERS! No wonder Texas is last in just about EVERYTHING. Obviously our lousy public school system and our over six million uninsured friends, family and neighbors isn't nearly as important as gay campaign donors, who's only crime is being dumb enough to donate money to the Republican party, who will look him in the face and smile while reaching for his check, but as soon as that check is cashed, I GUARANTEE, he's being called disgusting names and bad-mouthed. Get a clue, Mr. Thiel....find someone else to donate your money to, someone who might actually appreciate your donation and someone who might actually, FINALLY, do the right thing for the people of this sorry, sorry, sad state.
Mauna Loah
I knew it! I just had that feeling about Cruz and did not vote for him.