Sen. Ted Cruz focused his address at the California GOP convention Saturday on the state’s severe water shortage, heeding to House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy’s advice on how to attract Golden State conservatives.
“Out of control environmental policies: 1.4 trillion gallons of fresh water [is] being dumped into the Pacific Ocean because of a little three-inch bait fish,” Cruz told the audience. “In my experience, three-inch fish go great with cheese and crackers, but as a result of those policies, 1.4 trillion gallons of water could provide for 6 million Californians for six years.”
“We can have a win-win scenario, protect the environment and protect jobs,” Cruz said.
The Texas senator said he would fix that problem by increasing the population of the endangered fish so that the water that had been used to protect what’s left of that species could go to Californians who need it.
Cruz, who was endorsed by former Calif. Gov. Pete Wilson moments earlier, also hit on illegal immigration during the speech.
Front-running Republican candidate Donald Trump could reach 1,237 delegates through the June 7 California primary, which offers 172 delegates.
In an effort to help his case, Cruz apologized for how the party has taken the state’s conservative voters for granted through the years.
“California is at a crossroads. California is going to decide this Republican primary. Year after year you all are used to being treated by Republicans like an ATM,” Cruz said, before turning to a joke. “For any of you who have your checkbooks handy, I’d be glad for you to prove me wrong.”
California has 53 congressional districts, which offer three delegates to the candidate who wins each territory and an additional 13 for the overall winner. Despite varying conservative populations within the districts, each of them will award candidates with the same number of delegates, making it critical for candidates to hit as many of those localities as possible.
