State Democratic U.S. Senate Candidate Skips DNC
DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) – One high profile Texas Democrat skipped his party's big event in Charlotte this week. Paul Sadler, who is running for a U.S. Senate seat in Texas, said he'd rather spend time at home campaigning for votes, than at the Democratic National Convention.
"Frankly, the 400 or so delegates at the convention I think are going to vote for me. This is a very big state. I have a lot of ground to cover," admitted Sadler.
It's a lot of ground to cover, because he's behind his opponent, Republican Ted Cruz when it comes to fundraising and name recognition.
Still, Sadler believes he can pull off a victory. "I think a Democrat can win, and I think I will win."
However, the Democrats nationally have written-off Sadler's campaign and won't give him any money.
"Nobody thought Ted Cruz was going to beat David Dewhurst four months ago, and I don't think the people of Texas believe in his radical agenda. It's reckless," said Sadler.
When CBS 11 reporter Jack Fink pointed out that Texas voters did choose Cruz over Dewhurst, who many viewed as more moderate, Sadler said it's important to consider who participated in the primary.
"I think you have to look at who voted. The Republican party on July 31st got hijacked by the Tea Party."
Sadler, a former state lawmaker from East Texas, criticizes Cruz for being out of touch with the mainstream, and Latinos.
The Texas Democratic party chairman, Gilberto Hinojosa called Cruz the anti-Latino Latino.
When asked about that accusation last week, before Cruz addressed the Republican National convention in Tampa, he claimed, "It's a pattern where the Obama Democrats want to do is, they want to divide us. They want to attack."
But Sadler argues, "His policies for the Hispanic community are the worst policies we've ever seen from a candidate for the United States Senate."
Sadler says he supports giving illegal immigrants a reasonable path to citizenship - Cruz disagrees.
They're set to debate next month.
