GOP presidential candidate Ted Cruz touts job creation, less government interference

Addressing a crowd of Indiana Republican stalwarts, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz pitched himself for president Thursday by holding up the Hoosier state as an example of job creation and reduction of government.

“Our country is in crisis,” said Cruz, R-Texas. “We’re bankrupting our kids and grandkids. Our constitutional rights are under assault each and every day. America has receded from leadership across the world. And yet all across the state of Indiana, all across the country, people are waking up. And help is on the way.”

Cruz promised to pull back on federal regulations, reaching for an analogy from the movie "Hoosiers" — one of his favorites, he said — describing the government as the sort of nuisance you can’t ignore:

“The federal government has become the guy who gets naked and is barking at the moon in your living room,” he said.

He touted Indiana’s tax cuts under Republican Gov. Mike Pence, the growth of private-sector jobs and Indiana’s school choice movement.

“You want to unleash jobs? Then lift the boot of the federal government off of the backs of small businesses,” Cruz said. “Of course, I’m not telling anyone here anything you don’t know, because the state of Indiana has been an incredible example of doing just that.”

Cruz was the only one of the three Republican presidential candidates to accept an invitation to attend and speak to the crowd of 800 at the Indiana Republican Party Spring Dinner, said state GOP leader Jeff Cardwell. But with the hotly contested presidential race, candidates are campaigning in Indiana two weeks ahead of the state's increasingly critical May 3 primary in the fight to win votes and delegates.

“Indiana’s voice, Indiana’s megaphone to the country will decide which path this party goes down, and which path this country goes down,” Cruz said.

Cruz is competing to block businessman Donald Trump from winning the Republican nomination outright. While Cruz counts prominent Hoosier evangelicals among his supporters, several of Indiana’s 57 delegates to the Republican National Convention have indicated they would back Ohio Gov. John Kasich if Trump fails to win on the convention's first ballot.

And the Indiana winner for president is … John Kasich?

After Cruz’s speech, U.S. Sen. Dan Coats implored Hoosier Republicans to consider “who can best unite our party, who can reach out to independents.”

“If we don’t have independents,” he said, “we can’t win. And maybe we can reach out to disaffected Democrats.”

Cruz called himself the last Republican candidate remaining with a chance to win the presidency in November.

“If Donald is our nominee,” Cruz said, “we lose, and we lose by double digits.”

Overall, reaction from the 800 attendees was mixed.

Craig Rood, 35, an avionics technician from Middletown, described Cruz’s speech as “awesome” and said the senator’s decision to address a room full of Republican stalwarts shows the difference between Cruz and Trump.

“Trump just wants to get everyone in an uproar,” he said. “Cruz knows what he’s doing and sticking with the right crowd.”

Andrew Forrester, 27, of Madison, was less impressed.

“I didn’t feel like the reception he got was spectacular,” he said.

A supporter of Florida Sen. Marco Rubio before he exited the race, Forrester said he hasn’t decided whom to support —  but it won’t be Trump.

“I don’t think he represents me as a Republican and I don’t think he’s a good match

Delegate Barbara Krisher, who is chairwoman of Indiana’s 3rd Congressional District, hasn’t publicly announced support for any of the three candidates. She said Cruz connected with the audience but that she remains uncommitted. “There’s a lot of time between now and July,” she said, “and I think it’s possible to change your mind.”

In his 20-minute speech, Cruz named “jobs, freedom and security” as his top three issues.

“If I am elected president, we will repeal every word of Obamacare. We will pass a simple flat tax and we will abolish the IRS,” Cruz said. He later added on immigration: “And we will stop amnesty and secure the borders and end sanctuary cities and end welfare benefits for those here illegally.”

He opposed federal regulations on coal that he said would deeply affect manufacturing jobs in Indiana.

“It doesn’t make any sense having the federal government destroying the livelihoods of the men and women of this state,” Cruz said.

Outside the dinner at Primo Banquet Hall, a small group of protesters stood with “Pence Must Go” signs as attendees drove in.

Kevin Warren, the protest’s organizer, said he expected Pence to endorse Cruz for president.

“They’re two peas in a pod,” Warren said. “They're very dangerous for our country and our state."

Pence is meeting privately with all three Republican presidential candidates as they campaign in Indiana, including Cruz earlier Thursday and businessman Donald Trump the day before. Pence may make an endorsement — and joked Thursday night that he was prepared to announce that he was for "anyone but Hillary and Bernie (Sanders)."

Trump held a rally attended by thousands Wednesday at the Indiana State Fairgrounds. The third remaining Republican candidate, Ohio Gov. John Kasich, plans to campaign in Indianapolis on Tuesday.

Cruz kicked off his Indianapolis visit Thursday at Shapiro’s Delicatessen, where he spent an hour shaking hands with supporters.

"Ted! Get the corned beef!" a supporter called out to the presidential candidate.

But Cruz took a recommendation from deli owner Brian Shapiro for pastrami on rye. His supporters still cheered as Cruz held up his chosen sandwich to show the packed crowd.

Shapiro said Cruz's staff wanted him to take the sandwich to go. "Let him sit down and eat," Shapiro said. So he did.

Leslie Gebby, 28, of Indianapolis, told Cruz that she was praying for him.

“I really felt that religious connection,” she said. “I just wanted him to know other Christians are supporting him.”

Alex Ramirez, 47, of Fishers, said he liked Cruz’s Christian values and felt the candidate stood up for fundamental constitutional rights.

“I think if he won the presidency, he would bring a little morality back that we desperately need right now,” Ramirez said.

Cruz addressed those values later at the Republican Party event, stressing their importance after the death of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia. He said he would appoint only “a principled constitutionalist who will be faithful to the law and who will not legislate from the bench.”

“If you care about religious liberty, if you care about the Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms, if you care about the fundamental Bill of Rights,” Cruz said, “every one of our rights is one liberal justice away from being stripped away.”

Call IndyStar reporter Stephanie Wang at (317) 444-6184. Follow her on Twitter: @stephaniewang.