Cruz to Republicans: 'Lighten up a little' “Would it kill Republicans to crack a joke?” he asks at a tea party gathering.

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. — Sen. Ted Cruz was in rare form at a tea party convention here on Sunday, dinging the Republican establishment but also cracking jokes and even whipping out an apparent Russian accent.

The Texas Republican, a likely 2016 presidential contender, was asked at the South Carolina Tea Party Coalition Convention how the GOP can engage more young people, a group with whom Republicans performed miserably in the past several presidential elections. Cruz said candidates should “speak the truth” and be “inspiring,” suggesting that Republicans can offer effective messaging on health care and jobs. But he also suggested they show some humor.


“Would it kill Republicans to crack a joke?” he said. “I actually think for some Republicans it might. You know, lighten up a little. … So many Republicans run a Soviet-style campaign.”

He proceeded to demonstrate, in a mock Russian accent: “‘This is a Politburo! You do that! You do that! You do that!’ And a lot of young people are like, ‘Forget that!’”

Cruz is personally known in the Senate for giving lengthy, sometimes academic orations, including to reporters.

He said the two Republicans in recent history who have most inspired young people were President Ronald Reagan and former Rep. Ron Paul of Texas. (The latter is the father of Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul, a likely Cruz rival in the GOP primary.)

“Now both were septuagenarians,” he said. “They weren’t young, rugged James Dean types. But … they had bold principles that gave people a reason to stand and fight.”

The senator also drew laughs when responding to a question about who would be in his Cabinet, should he be president.

“I have some strong opinions on that, but let me avoid getting ahead of myself,” Cruz said. “It’s a little like going on a first date and telling her the names of the kids.”

Cruz also spoke more seriously about 2016, blasting as he has before the “mushy middle” — a term he has most recently linked to Mitt Romney, the failed 2012 GOP nominee who is considering running for a third time.

“Every one of those Washington graybeards who goes on TV and talks about how the way to win is to run to the mushy middle … have you noticed these consultants keep losing over and over and over again?” Cruz said. “Who in their right mind would listen to someone who keeps getting whupped and giving us advice on how not to get whupped?”

He singled out recent exampled of candidates who, in his view, weren’t sufficiently conservative and went on to lose. As he named candidates, including Sen. John McCain and Romney, the crowd let out audible groans.

“Enough is enough with the career politicians in both parties,” Cruz said.

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