For indispensable reporting on the coronavirus crisis, the election, and more, subscribe to the Mother Jones Daily newsletter.

Ted Cruz’s patented brand of awkward dad humor was on display last week when he spoke to members of the American Petroleum Institute in Houston. The Republican senator, who is in the fight of his political life in deep-red Texas, has been increasingly soliciting support from Republicans to fend off impassioned Democratic challenger Beto O’Rourke.

Here’s what happened at the event, per the New York Times:

“When there’s extreme anger and hatred on the other side, don’t respond in kind,” Mr. Cruz told the audience beneath the glittering chandeliers. “Have fun. Be a joyful warrior.” He recalled encountering a Twitter handle, “Ted Cruz ate my son.” “I was really tempted to tweet, ‘He was delicious,'” he said.

Given that large segments of the internet believe—jokingly, we hope—that Cruz is a serial killer, it’s probably in the best interests of his Twitter mentions that he restrained from airing a joke about cannibalism.