Ted Cruz predicting 'political peril' for GOP in 2026

U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) drinks a Dr. Pepper at a Q&A following a tour of the OpenAI data center in Abilene, Texas, U.S., September 23, 2025. REUTERS/Shelby Tauber/Pool

President Donald Trump is claiming that the No Kings Day protests of Saturday, October 18 were poorly attended, "very small" and "very ineffective." But in fact, millions of Americans in cities all over the United States showed up at the protests to voice their opposition to Trump's policies.

Original estimates from organizers said there would be around 2,500 protests altogether, but Axios reported that the number exceeded 2,700. And MSNBC's Antonia Hylton reported that while a No Kings protest in New York City was expected to draw around 200,000 people, the turnout "far exceeded that."

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), meanwhile, isn't echoing Trump's false claim that he October 18 protests were "very small." Rather, the far-right lawmaker views them as a sign that fellow Republicans could face "political peril" in the 2026 midterms.

During a Monday, October 20 appearance on Bloomberg Television, Cruz warned members of his party, "Unquestionably, we should take political peril seriously" —adding that "Democrats are…. unified behind hate for Donald Trump."

Cruz went on to tell Bloomberg Television, "In terms of the midterms in 2026, it’s dangerous.... Substantively, Republicans have a lot to campaign on…. That being said … there is a lot of energy, there is a lot of anger on the left — and elections can be dangerous when one side is mobilized, is angry. I'll tell you, in terms of fundraising, the Democrats are raising a lot more money because their radicals hate Trump so much. And look, angry, energized voters show up to vote."

The New Republic's Malcolm Ferguson, in an article published on October 21, stresses that Cruz's comments about Trump's opponents being energized "rang surprisingly true."

Ferguson argues, "Even as they overexaggerate and misrepresent the Democrats — whose leadership is clearly center-left at best — Cruz's point shows that Republicans are paying attention to the size and scope of the No Kings rallies. But they just still can't seem to figure out why everyone is so upset with President Trump."

From Your Site Articles