Sen. Cruz Appears on Fox News Following Justice Kennedy’s Retirement Announcement

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) today appeared on Fox News’ ‘The Daily Briefing with Dana Perino’ following Justice Kennedy’s retirement from the Supreme Court.

Watch Sen. Cruz’s full interview here. Excerpts are below: 

When asked about his reaction to the announcement of Justice Kennedy’s retirement from the Supreme Court, Sen. Cruz highlighted the profound opportunity Senate Republicans have had in nominating and confirming constitutionalist judges to the Supreme Court and federal bench.

“Today is really a historic day,” Sen. Cruz said. “If we look at the first nomination that President Trump made, Neil Gorsuch, it was an incredibly strong nomination. That, at the end of the day was essentially a defensive pick. It was replacing Justice Antonin Scalia, one of the greatest justices ever to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court. What the Gorsuch pick did at the very best is maintain the status quo. The Justice Kennedy vacancy on the other hand, is an opportunity to really have a profound impact on the Court, an impact on the Court that could last for decades. I think there is no issue more important, no issue more fundamental to what President Trump has achieved to what the Senate Majority of Republicans has achieved, than nominating and confirming principled constitutionalists to the Supreme Court and the federal courts who will uphold our rights and protect the Bill of Rights.”

Sen. Cruz continued, urging the President to nominate a principled constitutionalist to replace Justice Kennedy. 

“What I hope that the President will do is nominate a principled constitutionalist, someone who’s number one focus will be being faithful to the Constitution and the Bill of Rights,” Sen. Cruz said. “That means defending the First Amendment, defending free speech and religious liberty, defending the Second Amendment, defending the Tenth Amendment, all of our basic liberties. In terms of timing, I expect to see the President to come forth with a nomination quickly, I would anticipate within the next couple of weeks. I believe the Senate, we will take up and I believe that we will confirm this nominee before the election in November. I expect that we will have confirmation hearings in all likelihood in September or October of this year, and confirm a strong constitutionalist to the Court.” 

Finally, Sen. Cruz recommended President Trump nominate his colleague, Senator Mike Lee (R-Utah), to fill the vacancy on the Court.

“I think the single best choice that President Trump could make to fill this vacancy is Senator Mike Lee,” Sen. Cruz said. “I think he would be extraordinary. If you look back at Republican nominations to the Court, Democrats have batted almost 1000. Just about every nominee they’ve put up there has voted the way they wanted on just about every single issue. Republicans at best bat 500. About half of the nominees Republican presidents have put on the Court have turned into train wrecks - have turned into liberal activists. The reason why I think the best choice that President Trump could make is Mike Lee, is because I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that Mike Lee would be faithful to the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.”

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