Sen. Ted Cruz Rafael (Ted) Edward CruzThe Hill's Morning Report - Sponsored by Facebook - Trump previews SCOTUS nominee as 'totally brilliant' Cruz blocks amended resolution honoring Ginsburg over language about her dying wish Trump argues full Supreme Court needed to settle potential election disputes MORE (R-Texas) on Sunday condemned the recent mass shooting in El Paso, Texas, as "a heinous act of terrorism and white supremacy." ADVERTISEMENT

“We must speak clearly to combat evil in any form it takes. What we saw yesterday was a heinous act of terrorism and white supremacy. There is no place for this in El Paso, in Texas, or anywhere across our nation,” Cruz tweeted Sunday. “We are all Americans and we are all standing united with El Paso.”

He added that as a “son of a Cuban immigrant,” he is “deeply horrified by the hateful anti-Hispanic bigotry expressed in the shooter’s so-called ‘manifesto.’”

“This ignorant racism is repulsive and profoundly anti-American,” he tweeted.

As the son of a Cuban immigrant, I am deeply horrified by the hateful anti-Hispanic bigotry expressed in the shooter’s so-called ‘manifesto.’ This ignorant racism is repulsive and profoundly anti-American. — Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) August 4, 2019

We must speak clearly to combat evil in any form it takes. What we saw yesterday was a heinous act of terrorism and white supremacy. There is no place for this in El Paso, in Texas, or anywhere across our nation.



We are all Americans and we are all standing united with El Paso. — Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) August 4, 2019

His statement comes after a gunman killed 20 people and wounded at least 26 more at a Walmart in the city. Authorities are treating the mass killing as a case of domestic terrorism.

The shooting on Saturday, which was followed by another mass shooting in Dayton, Ohio, a day later, drew immediate calls from Democrats to pass gun reform, as well as condemnations of President Trump Donald John TrumpSteele Dossier sub-source was subject of FBI counterintelligence probe Pelosi slams Trump executive order on pre-existing conditions: It 'isn't worth the paper it's signed on' Trump 'no longer angry' at Romney because of Supreme Court stance MORE's rhetoric aimed at minorities and people of foreign origin.

Cruz's colleague, Texas Sen. John Cornyn John CornynQuinnipiac polls show Trump leading Biden in Texas, deadlocked race in Ohio The Hill's Campaign Report: GOP set to ask SCOTUS to limit mail-in voting Liberal super PAC launches ads targeting vulnerable GOP senators over SCOTUS fight MORE (R) responded to the shooting by pushing back against the calls to pass gun control legislation.

He tweeted that “for every complex problem there is an answer that is clear, simple, and wrong.”

“Sadly, there are some issues, like homelessness and these shootings, where we simply don't have all the answers,” the Republican senator said, adding that some progress has been made by “improving the broken background check system, improving access to mental health treatment, by hardening soft targets like our schools, by enhanced training for law enforcement and mental health professionals.”

“But we need to keep trying. Focusing on law abiding citizens exercising their constitutional rights solves nothing. We need to treat these crimes as problems to be solved, rather than one to be exploited for partisan political gain.”

We have made progress: by improving the broken background check system, improving access to mental health treatment, by hardening soft targets like our schools, by enhanced training for law enforcement and mental health professionals. — Senator John Cornyn (@JohnCornyn) August 4, 2019

But we need to keep trying. Focusing on law abiding citizens excersizing their constitutional rights solves nothing. We need to treat these crimes as problems to be solved, rather than one to be exploited for partisan political gain. — Senator John Cornyn (@JohnCornyn) August 4, 2019

2020 presidential candidate and former Texas congressman Beto O’Rourke, who challenged Cruz in 2018, blamed Trump for encouraging racist attacks and likened the president’s rhetoric to that of Nazi Germany's Third Reich. Other 2020 Democrats have drawn a connection between Trump's

A handful of Democrats, including Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer Chuck SchumerPelosi slams Trump executive order on pre-existing conditions: It 'isn't worth the paper it's signed on' 3 reasons why Biden is misreading the politics of court packing Cruz blocks amended resolution honoring Ginsburg over language about her dying wish MORE (N.Y.), said Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) should call for an immediate special Senate session to vote on a universal background check bill the Democratic-controlled House passed in February.

A spokesperson for McConnell did not respond to a request for comment.