Ted Cruz Picks His Running Mate

Some secrets in politics are just very poorly kept. Take, for instance, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz’s choice for his running mate.

Even before he announced his decision that former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina would be his Vice Presidential running mate, it was already assumed she would be. That hasn’t tempered conservatives’ excitement over the choice.

“As a groundbreaking executive and the first woman to lead a Fortune 500 company, Fiorina brings a record of innovation and tremendous leadership to the Cruz campaign,” the senator’s presidential campaign said in its official announcement. “An outsider to politics, Fiorina adds a fresh perspective to the difficult challenges America faces and has a solutions-oriented approach that is desperately needed in the federal government.”

Fiorina isn’t exactly an outsider to politics. Prior to her unsuccessful bid for the presidency this year, she also ran for U.S. Senate against Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.). She also served as the Republican National Committee’s “Victory Fund” fundraising chairwoman, and was considered a potential running mate for 2008 GOP candidate Sen. John McCain before he picked then-Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin.

And for those reasons, even though she can claim to be a “Washington outsider,” she still has a number of GOP establishment connections that could be helpful in the final weeks before the Republican National Convention in Cleveland. Cruz made sure to point out there were “other considerations,” as well.

“In choosing the person I believe would honorably and faithfully serve in the office of the Vice President—the person who under our Constitution could ascend either temporarily or permanently to the presidency—there must be a higher criteria, and that criteria must be this: will that person keep the faith and trust of the American people?” he asked. “For all the enormously impressive qualities I saw in others whom I considered for the office of the Vice Presidency of the United States, I found a clear choice.

“One who has never been afraid to stand up to the insider status quo. Who knows the principles of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution because this leader has lived them—a life dedicated to the dignity of work, of our right to pursue our wildest aspirations—and to help others do the same. And a leader who understands that power never has and never will come from the government—here in the United States, it comes from the people.

“Who respects the people, who has worked alongside them, and who will serve them with an unbreakable purpose of protecting every one of their rights—and making sure that the America we hand to our kids and grandkids is better than the one before us today.

“For the 13 months of this race, there has been a proven, consistent, courageous fighter. A fighter who terrifies Hillary, and who will do the same to our enemies. And that’s why I am proud to announce Carly Fiorina as my Vice Presidential running mate.”

Fiorina said Cruz is a “constitutional conservative” who has made enemies in both parties by standing up to “bipartisan corruption” in Washington.

“He has fought to change the system. He kept his word to the people of Texas, and I know, if elected, he will keep his word and bring back American jobs, defend our nation and protect our constitutional freedoms.

“Make no mistake: this is a fight now. Ted and I can’t do this without your help. And this is about all of us. It’s about whether we want our kids to be able to get a good paying job when they get out of school.

“It’s about whether we want to turn our backs on religious liberty and our second amendment. It’s about whether we want to live in a nation that secures its borders and calls Islamic terrorism by its name. It is about whether we believe America must lead again in the world.

“This is why we fight. Join us. And let’s elect Ted Cruz the next President of the United States.”

Cruz faces a steep mountain to climb if he is to become the GOP presidential nominee. So far, he’s only received 27 percent of the popular vote in the nominating process, winning just 11 states in the process.

He does, however, have the requisite eight delegate majorities he needs under Rule 40(b) to be eligible for nomination at the national convention. And with Fiorina—who has been stumping for the senator for the past month—now welded onto his campaign team, he has a valuable inroad with voters in California, which will be the final and most critical state in the nomination process.