Portrait of Ted Cruz
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Ted Cruz on January 6th

Challenged election results (strong) Position evolved

TL;DR

Ted Cruz initially objected to the electoral count and described the event as a terrorist attack before backtracking.

Key Points

  • He announced on January 2, 2021, that he and ten other senators would object to electors unless a 10-day audit was completed.

  • He continued his objection to Arizona's electors and voted against certifying those results after the Capitol was secured following the attack.

  • The senator later clarified his use of the term "terrorist attack" regarding the January 6th event after facing criticism from pundits.

Summary

Ted Cruz announced his intention to object to the certification of the 2020 election results on January 6, 2021, proposing an emergency audit of disputed states. He was among several Republican senators who supported challenging the electors prior to the violent breach of the U.S. Capitol. Following the attack, he and a smaller group of senators persisted with the objection to Arizona's electors, voting against certification, while using the period for campaign fundraising. Cruz later walked back his description of the broader event as a "violent terrorist attack" after facing conservative backlash, clarifying that he was referring only to those who assaulted police officers, not the protestors generally.

Frequently Asked Questions

Ted Cruz was an early proponent of objecting to the 2020 Electoral College results, which he and others cited due to concerns about election integrity. He proceeded with an objection even after the violence erupted at the Capitol. His current framing focuses on condemning the violence while standing by the right to object to the count.

The senator has faced scrutiny for his actions leading up to and during the certification process, including continuing his objection after the riot. While he has walked back calling the entire event a 'terrorist attack,' he has generally stood by his right to object to the electors as a necessary action.

Ted Cruz initially described the events of January 6, 2021, as a 'violent terrorist attack on the Capitol' during a hearing. He later walked back this phrasing after conservative backlash, insisting he only used 'terrorist' to describe those who violently assaulted police officers, not all protestors.