AUSTIN, TEXAS — In Texas, certain sentiments expressed in the form of confrontation are often categorized as “fightin’ words.” Most political pundits might reckon a Wednesday tweet to Donald Trump by the lawyer representing a porn actress with whom the president allegedly had an affair asking about his planned Texas rally for Sen. Ted Cruz might fit the bill.
“When are we heading down to TX for our competing rallies?” attorney Michael Avenatti tweeted Trump. “Or have you decided to blow off @tedcruz because you are concerned about the reception you might receive? Based on my exp there (mother born in Lueders), not many gold toilets or silver spoons in Texas.”
Ouch.
After seemingly making up with his erstwhile nemesis, U.S. Sen. Cruz — who ran against Trump in the 2016 presidential election in what devolved into an exchange of insults between the two men — Trump has vowed to stage a rally in support of the Texas senator in “the biggest stadium in Texas we can find.”
Avenatti appears now to be searching for his own large venue in Texas for a competing rally. The attorney is representing Stormy Daniels, a porn actress who claims to have had a brief affair with Trump. After denying a $130,000 hush payment was made to Daniels to deter her from publicly speaking of the encounter, verification of said payment was later made. Trump’s former attorney and now-nemesis, Michael Cohen, has acknowledged having made the payment to keep the actress from airing her story.
It didn’t work. Daniels later wrote a book describing the encounter with Trump in excruciating detail. Cohen has been ensnared in the probe into Russian meddling into the presidential election, and is reportedly cooperating with investigators.
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Back in Texas, Cruz is fighting for his political life as he faces Democratic rival Beto O’Rourke, an El Paso, Texas, congressman who is giving him a real run for his money. The contest has become so implausibly competitive (after all, this is deeply red Texas), that Trump announced via Twitter of his plans to rally for Cruz somewhere in the Lone Star State. Ahead of his trip, Donald Trump Jr. was stumping for Cruz on Wednesday with stops in Austin, Conroe and Wichita Falls.
At one point in the heated presidential race, Trump created the nickname “Lyin’ Ted” to refer to the presidential also-ran. The moniker stuck, and Trump used it liberally while on the stump. Along the way, Trump suggested Cruz’s Cuba-born dad had something to do with the assassination of John F. Kennedy and implied his wife, Melania, was prettier than the senator’s wife. Cruz gave as good as he got, labeling Trump a “sniveling coward” while suggesting his tax returns could reveal mob connections. To date, Trump has refused to release his tax returns to the public.
Which is all to say that Texas has fast emerged as a hotbed for political drama, with twists and turns worthy of a southern novel a la “Gone With The Wind.” Where will the Cruz rally be staged? Does Avenatti really plan a competing political gathering? Who’ll emerge the victor in the primary election for the contested senatorial seat? Will Ted and Donald remain friends? And who knew Avenatti’s mom was born in Texas? Where is this town of Lueders?
The bottom line is, everything is bigger in Texas — including, it would seem, political feuds. The eyes of Texas are upon this latest skirmish, and it’s sure to be a hootenanny. All characters in this Texas drama are in a horn-tossing mood, and one reckons each will tell us how the cow ate the cabbage with things getting as hot as a billy goat in a pepper patch.
Keep your eyes on the Lone Star State for this Texas political showdown. Oh, and Katy: Bar the door.
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>>> Top image of U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (left) and El Paso, Texas, congressman Beto O’Rourke via Getty Images file photos, Scott Olson, Joe Raedle
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