Senator Ted Cruz (R-Tx.) gave a small speech at the Federalist Society on Friday, and then allowed some time for a question and answer session.
One of the questioners was a gentleman from Ireland who was encouraged by President-elect Donald Trump's win, stating that he knows what it feels like to be overlooked or even looked down on for his origins, and accent. Now with Trump heading to the white house, he wanted to know if Cruz could put some sort of encouraging message to tag along with it.
"With the presidential election, where we saw rural America — the America that felt they were left behind — stood up and expressed their voice, and show their concerns in such a large number, what words of encouragement do you now have for the people of rural America, and for those who felt they were left behind?"
"Well, I think the election was an incredible vindication for the American people across this country, and especially those as you've known in rural America, and what elites on both coasts consider to be flyover country," began Cruz. "This election could be well understood as the revenge of flyover country."
"And one of the things that was most striking was the utter astonishment of the Hillary Clinton campaign, the press, of Democrats," continued Cruz after applause from the crowd. "I'm reminded of, in an earlier election, a question from Manhattan. 'How could Richard Nixon have won. I didn't know anyone who voted for him.'"
"I think the Clinton campaign found themselves utter flabbergasted," continued Cruz. "They had not even contemplated the possibility that they might not prevail. And that, I think, is a direct result of not listening to, and not hearing the American people. The voices of frustration, the voices that had been ignored, the voices that were crying out — more than anything else — 'leave us alone!'"
Watch below:
