Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) slammed his Democrat opponent recently, for supporting the National Football League’s player protests during the playing of the national anthem.

Cruz, who was campaigning on August 18 in Corpus Christi, Texas, criticized Democrat Beto O’Rourke for his support of the anti-American protests. “When Beto O’Rourke says he can’t think of anything more American (than players taking a knee), well I got to tell you, I can,” Cruz said according to the Caller Times.

Cruz’s comment comes on the heels of O’Rourke’s recent proclamation of support for the protesters.

At a recent town hall the Democrat insisted that the player protests were not disrespectful to the U.S. In fact, O’Rourke went even farther saying there is “nothing more American” than to “peacefully” protest against the country.

“And so non-violently, peacefully, while the eyes of this country are watching these games, they take a knee to bring our attention and our focus to this problem to ensure that we fix it,” O’Rourke said at a Houston town hall last week.

“That is why they are doing it. And I can think of nothing more American than to peacefully, standing up, or taking a knee, for your rights, anytime, anywhere, in any place,” the Democrat concluded.

Cruz insisted that comments like that have made O’Rourke the darling of out-of-state liberal donors and that he is sure O’Rourke will outraise him in campaign donations.

According to the Real Clear Politics poll average Cruz, the state’s sitting Senator stands at a close plus 6.5 percentage points ahead of his Democrat opponent in the Texas Senate race.

Follow Warner Todd Huston on Twitter @warnerthuston.