Mark Alesia, and Chelsea Schneider

IndyStar

Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz called Donald Trump "a big-government liberal" and said he would take a much different approach than his opponent to companies that move jobs to Mexico.

Cruz told IndyStar in an exclusive interview before his rally Saturday night in Lebanon that Trump's emphasis on tariffs puts his opponent in company with a pair of Democrats, President Barack Obama and candidate Hillary Clinton.

Cruz also said he would welcome an endorsement from Gov. Mike Pence, despite Pence's sagging popularity, and that businesses were being "bullied" into opposing religious freedom laws.

In a rally in Indianapolis earlier this week, Trump excoriated Indy company Carrier and an affiliate for preparing to eliminate 2,100 jobs and move them to Mexico. Trump said he would "tax the hell" out of them. Cruz told IndyStar that's a bad idea.

"Big-government liberals — like Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump — all try to use the power of government to bully and abuse and punish those who don't do what they want.

GOP presidential candidate Ted Cruz touts job creation, less government interference

"Donald has a long history of threatening government retaliation against any company that moves jobs overseas — exactly like Obama and Hillary do. I think that's exactly backward. It is a tragedy that Carrier is moving so many jobs to Mexico, but it is responding to the disaster that is the Obama-Clinton economy. It is the federal government that has driven Carrier out of Indiana and is driving jobs away from America all across this country.

"Donald has no idea how to bring jobs back to America. His response to every problem is to yell and scream and curse and insult people. But he has no actual policy to fix the problem."

Cruz said tax cuts and lifting regulations on small businesses would result in "millions of new high-paying jobs here in America."

The Texas senator spoke to about 1,000 people for about a half-hour at the Witham Pavilion at the Boone County Fairgrounds. Polls show he trails Trump slightly in Indiana, with the primary looming May 3.

“Now Indiana is a battleground,” Cruz told the crowd. “Right now, Donald and I are neck and neck … and the entire country and the eyes of America are on Indiana. Indiana has a platform. Indiana has a national megaphone, and we can decide which path we want to go down.

"Do we want a candidate whose only approach to the problems of America is to yell and scream and curse and insult anyone standing near him? Or do we want to get behind a campaign with a positive, optimistic, forward-looking, conservative vision?”

Erik Tiefel, 32, Lebanon, who was in the crowd, said he likes Cruz’s position on religious liberties, which he thinks are “constantly being bombarded.”

“I thought it was awesome,” Tiefel said of the speech. “I think he’s the best candidate in the field, and I believe he’s working to make this country better, and the economic policies he has are the best way to get this country back on its feet.”

Bethellen George, 52, who lives in rural Boone County, said Cruz represents the things she’s concerned about as a voter.

And the Indiana winner for president is … John Kasich?

“He’s genuine,” George said. “I think he’ll be good for families and small businesses. He will defend the Constitution, and we need somebody to defend the Constitution.”

Earlier Saturday, Cruz met about 200 people at a diner in Plainfield and challenged Trump to a debate in Indiana.

"I think the people of Indiana deserve a debate between me and Donald Trump — here in Indiana," Cruz said. "Donald is very fond of telling everyone what a tough guy he is. ... Well, he can come demonstrate that ... but the odds are he won’t do it because he can’t answer the questions.”

Cruz will have rallies Sunday in Terre Haute at 2:30 p.m. and Evansville at 6 p.m. Earlier in the week, Cruz met with Pence.

"I would certainly very much welcome Gov. Pence's support," Cruz told IndyStar. "He is someone I respect and admire. He's a strong conservative who has been an effective leader for the state of Indiana. And he has been a national voice defending conservative principles for a long, long time."

Asked if he requested an endorsement from the governor, Cruz said, "He ultimately will make the decision about what to do in this race, if anything. But I respect and admire Gov. Pence a great deal."

Pence's support of Indiana's religious freedom law drew a strong backlash last year that led to changes to "fix" the law. Asked what it says about religious freedom laws when large businesses oppose them, as happened in Indiana, Cruz said they were bullied.

"Far too often the business community has given in to bullying at the expense of Christians and at the expense of people of faith," Cruz told IndyStar. "We're seeing that play out right now in North Carolina, where the business community is lining up against the people of North Carolina because of the extreme partisanship and intimidation that comes from the far left."

IndyStar has reported that a majority of Indiana's delegates appear to favor Ohio Gov. John Kasich as the Republican nominee after the first ballot at a contested national convention. Asked about that, Cruz emphasized his intent to campaign hard in Indiana and take his case to the people.

"I think any candidate for president owes it to the people to look them in the eyes, to answer their questions, to show the humility to stand in front of the voters and ask for their support and make the case," he said.

Contact IndyStar reporter Mark Alesia at (317) 444-6311 and follow him on Twitter: @markalesia. Contact IndyStar reporter Chelsea Schneider (317) 444-6077 and follow her on Twitter: @indystarchelsea.

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