Eye on Politics: Nikki Haley makes campaign stop in Dallas
Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley speaks with Jack Fink during a Dallas campaign stop as she tries to turn around the polls that show her trailing former President Donald Trump. Council member Cara Mendelsohn tells us she believes her home was vandalized because she's Jewish. And Sen. Ted Cruz talks about his reelection campaign.
Jack Fink covers these stories and more in the latest edition of Eye on Politics (original air date: Feb. 18).
One-on-one with Nikki Haley
Republican Nikki Haley brought her presidential campaign to Dallas Thursday night, where she attracted hundreds of supporters. The rally took place at Gilley's Dallas, and it came as the former governor and U.S. ambassador to the United Nations is far behind former President Donald Trump in the polls here in Texas. She also trails Trump in her home state of South Carolina, which holds its primary this Saturday.
Jack went one-on-one with Haley to discuss how she intends to turn the polls around, and what she would do for conservatives that Trump would now.
Before Haley stumped in North Texas, she inspired a number of Republican women to come together and form groups to support her. Jack spoke with former Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price, former state Sen. Florence Shapiro of Plano and Stacy Blakeley about why they're backing Haley.
Early voting begins this Tuesday.
Read more about the important races here.
Dallas leader targeted
Dallas City Council member Cara Mendelsohn says her house was targeted because she's Jewish.
🟦 Super Bowl ad showing hateful graffiti at a Jewish home - Do you wonder if this really happens?
— Cara Mendelsohn (@caraathome) February 11, 2024
I'm a Jewish elected official in Dallas and yesterday my home was defaced with hateful language and red triangles representing Palestine. It included a disgusting pile of rocks and… https://t.co/RJFrJho2Ti pic.twitter.com/EVUmRJwXu3
Mendelsohn posted on social media, sharing photos of her fence spray-painted with the words "baby killer". In her front yard lay a pile of rocks, bricks and bundles splashed with red paint that Mendelsohn says were meant to look like dead babies.
Also spray-painted on her fence -- upside-down red triangles, a symbol of support for Palestine. Upside-down red triangles were also once used by Nazis to designate political prisoners.
"The first thing I thought about was my grandparents," Mendelsohn told CBS News Texas reporter Andrea Lucia. "They escaped to Poland to come to America and they would say to all of us kids, grandkids, this could happen to you."
The vandalism comes as reports of anti-Semitic incidents are on the rise. The Anti-Defamation League reported a 400% increase this past October following the attack by Hamas on Israeli civilians.
Mendelsohn has been vocal in her support for Israel and took part in a unanimous vote by Dallas City Council in October condemning Hamas.
Dallas police say they are investigating the vandalism but have not said how they are categorizing the crime.
One-on-one with Sen. Ted Cruz
In a one-on-one with Jack, Sen. Ted Cruz discussed his bid for reelection and why he criticized the bipartisan border security bill that was rejected in the Senate earlier this month.
Every week, CBS News Texas political reporter Jack Fink breaks down some of the biggest political stories grabbing headlines in North Texas and beyond. Watch the latest episode of Eye on Politics in the video player above and watch new episodes every Sunday at 7:30 a.m. on air and online.