The confab came amid discussions on how to help Republicans over the fall finish line. | M.Scott Mahaskey/POLITICO Cruz woos donors, party elites

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) held a private meeting with dozens of donors, elites and friends last week, a confab ostensibly about the final 2014 midterms push that also seemed aimed at demonstrating his political pull if he runs for president in 2016.

The first-term senator’s moves in advance of the presidential race have run parallel with his efforts to dull establishment GOP memories of the 2013 government shutdown he played a role in. To that end, part of his efforts in the next year will be showing that he has expanded reach within his own party.


The Tuesday confab came amid a discussion about how to best help Republicans over the finish line for the fall, according to people familiar with the event.

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On hand was Weekly Standard editor William Kristol, a frequent defender of Cruz who spoke on an afternoon panel, and some major GOP donors like Elliott Broidy, according to the sources.

The event was held at a ranch outside Dallas, Texas, and featured a morning of fishing and shooting for attendees before presentations began. There were presentations on polling data related to 2014 after Kristol and Cruz spoke, attendees said.

Some of Cruz’s recent political hires, like Jamestown Associates’ Jason Miller, were on hand. Cruz never mentioned 2016 directly, and Kristol only did in terms of strategy and agenda, people familiar with the event said.

Hillary Clinton’s name came up a few times as the prospective Democratic nominee.