As he faces off against Democratic challenger Beto O'Rourke in a 2018 midterm race to watch, Senator Ted Cruz proved he might need a Texas history lesson.

On Saturday, September 8, at a campaign rally, Republican Senator Cruz warned his audience that Democrats want Texas to be “just like California,” and he used some odd examples to explain what exactly that means.

“We are seeing tens of millions of dollars flooding into the state of Texas from liberals all over the country who desperately want to turn the state of Texas blue," Cruz said. "They want us to be just like California, right down to tofu and silicon and dyed hair."

It’s worth noting that Cruz’s wife, Heidi, is a vegetarian from California, Cruz said in his speech, according to The San Diego Union-Tribune. And she has gone from brunette to blonde over the years.

As Heidi might know, not only does Texas have fantastic vegan food and a burgeoning tech industry hub in Austin, but there’s also a lot of hair dye in a state famous for coiffures as big as its attitude.

Kate McCarthy is a South Austin–based hairstylist who works at the Black Orchid Salon. She said Cruz’s comments don’t make any sense.

“Texas has always been a unique state, and Austin has always been a unique city,” McCarthy told Teen Vogue. “Something I admire so much about Austin is that you can be in any given space and see someone all dolled up and dressed to the nines sitting next to someone with purple armpit hair and a cut up old band shirt.”

Pink-haired Texas resident and frontwoman for the band Eisley, Sherri DuPree Bemis, documented taking her daughter Lucy to The Blowout Hair Salon in Tyler, Texas, for rainbow hair. The hairstylist responsible for Lucy’s cut and color, Hope Simpson, said she couldn’t believe Cruz’s comments.

“Style and taste is authentic and can’t really be categorized state by state,” the Tyler-based hairstylist told Teen Vogue. “All of California isn’t vegan with wild hair, just like all of Texas isn’t overly crazy conservative, southern or hick accents, riding horses and shooting armadillos.”

McCarthy said that in the five years she’s been doing hair, about 10% of her clients ask for “crazy unnatural colors,” but plenty of others dye their hair more conservatively.

“We all live in peaceful unity,” she concluded. “If that’s how California decides to be as well, then I’d say we’re moving closer to our goal of judging people by what is in their hearts and minds rather than the color of their hair.”

Here are some other great Texas salons with proof of what they can do for the next dye job a Texan is seeking out:

Little Sister Salon

Austin, Texas

Luxe Salon and Spa

Pearland, Texas

Keith Kristofer Salon

Austin, Texas

Magnolia

Forth Worth, Texas

Happy Salon

Austin, Texas

Dolce Vita Salon

Tyler, Texas

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Want more from Teen Vogue? Check this out: Ted Cruz Challenger Beto O'Rourke Is Out to Change Texas Politics