What Sen. Ted Cruz said to Iowans about 2026 election

CLIVE, Iowa (Gray Media Iowa State Capitol Bureau) -- A decade after he defeated future president, Donald Trump, and a handful of other Republican contenders in the Iowa GOP Caucuses, U.S. Senator Ted Cruz of Texas, returned to the state to urge Iowans to get engaged in the 2026 November mid-term elections.

“They’re coming after Iowa,” Cruz warned about Democrats to more than 1,000 activists at the Iowa Faith & Freedom Spring Dinner Friday night in Clive.

He continued, “They want to turn Iowa (Democratic) blue.”

Iowa has had a strong Republican preference since Cruz’s 2016 success.

There has been a Republican governor and Republican majorities in the Iowa House and Senate for the past decade.

Iowans haven’t elected a Democratic governor since 2006 (Chet Culver) or a Democratic U.S. Senator since 2008 (Tom Harkin).

Cruz told Iowans that Democrats see opportunities in Iowa that could change the makeup of Congress.

“They believe if they win the Senate seat (currently held by Republican Joni Ernst), they flip the (U.S.) Senate Democrat. They’re probably right about that.” Cruz said.

He added, “They’re targeting the congressional seats in Iowa. If they flip the congressional seats in Iowa, they believe they’ll flip the House of Representatives. They’re probably right about that as well.”

Cruz also addressed Democrats’ hope with the governor’s race. “You apparently have a clown running on the Democrat side who’s trying to convince you he’s something in it,” he said.

Cruz used a biblical passage to ridicule State Auditor Rob Sand, the Democratic candidate for governor.

“Matthew 7:26 says, ‘The foolish man builds his house on the sand.' And Jesus is telling parables, he wanted to tell the people about do not be foolish and build upon the sand or the wind and floods will come and blow it down.”

Cruz has been mentioned as a potential presidential candidate again in 2028. A trip to Iowa will fuel that speculation.