“Cruz proposed mass legalization of illegal immigrants,” it continues. “He even praised the traitor Edward Snowden. Ted Cruz’s talk is cheap. His national security record is weak.” | AP Photo Anti-Cruz group launches $1.5 million ad blitz in South Carolina America's Future Fund has long been critical of Cruz's foreign policy platform, and they're spending big against him ahead of the next primary.

Ted Cruz's critics are wasting no time hitting him in South Carolina.

American Future Fund, a conservative group that spent heavily against Cruz in Iowa, will begin airing a TV commercial in South Carolina that labels Cruz as “weak” on national security — a damaging label in military-heavy South Carolina. The spot ties Cruz to Bernie Sanders, the liberal insurgent who’s gaining momentum in the Democratic primary, and President Barack Obama. “Ted Cruz talks tough on national security. But look at his record. Cruz voted with Bernie Sanders against defense spending,” the ad says. “Cruz sided with Obama to weaken our ability to track terrorists.”


The commercial also attempts to paint Cruz as soft on undocumented immigrants, an issue where he has painted himself as the GOP field's strongest candidate of border security — as well as its strongest opponent of "amnesty" for people who entered the country illegally. The issue is a high priority for GOP voters, particularly in conservative South Carolina.

“Cruz proposed mass legalization of illegal immigrants,” it continues. “He even praised the traitor Edward Snowden. Ted Cruz’s talk is cheap. His national security record is weak.”

The outside group, overseen by veteran GOP operative Nick Ryan, is spending $1.5 million to air the commercial. It will air through the Feb. 20 primary on broadcast and cable stations statewide.

Cruz spokeswoman Catherine Frazier slammed the claims, saying they were untrue and would not sway voters.

"The ad is appropriately titled “Weak” because none of the claims made stand up to reason or fact," she said in an email. "This is from the same group that failed to stop us in Iowa and will run into the same roadblock in South Carolina. As they should have already learned, misconstruing Cruz’s record will not work, because voters don’t believe it, they know that Ted has consistently led on efforts to strengthen our national security, fight radical islamic terrorism, and oppose amnesty."