--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Ted Cruz cut his teeth politically in…" description: "\"Ted Cruz cut his teeth politically in Texas on disrupting the Republican establishment, and Texans love a fighter. It's the same thing that has made me..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a88/mj-hegar-11168_fighter_ted-cruz-cut-his-teeth-politically-in-te_1358717.jpg" --- # Ted Cruz cut his teeth politically in Texas on disrupting… ![“Ted Cruz cut his teeth politically in Texas on disrupting the Republican establishment, and Texans love a fighter. It's the same thing that has made me successful is that when people look at me, they see a fighter, somebody who takes on the establishment, who isn't intimidated, and is willing to…” quote by MJ Hegar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a88/mj-hegar-11168_fighter_ted-cruz-cut-his-teeth-politically-in-te_1358717.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a88/mj-hegar-11168_fighter_ted-cruz-cut-his-teeth-politically-in-te_1358717.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a88/mj-hegar-11168_fighter_ted-cruz-cut-his-teeth-politically-in-te_1358717.jpg) > “Ted Cruz cut his teeth politically in Texas on disrupting the Republican establishment, and Texans love a fighter. It's the same thing that has made me successful is that when people look at me, they see a fighter, somebody who takes on the establishment, who isn't intimidated, and is willing to kick through doors.” [MJ Hegar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mj-hegar/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A fighter image is built by confronting authority, which attracts support. **In simple terms:** Standing up builds support. Key Takeaway Embrace challenges. Themes leadership resilience politics Mood inspirational assertive Type political personal When to use this quote - election races - activism - career advancement - public speaking Key Concepts Narrative framing identity politics Questions to Reflect On - How does your image affect trust? - When is confrontation counterproductive? A Different Perspective Opposition may view aggression negatively. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Disrupting Republican](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disrupting-republican-4643473/) [Establishment Texans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/establishment-texans-4643470/) [Fighter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fighter/) [Fighter Somebody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fighter-somebody-4643472/) [Look](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/look/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Politically Texas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politically-texas-4643471/) [Republican Establishment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/republican-establishment/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ted-cruz/) [Texas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/texas/) [Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trump/) [Willing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/willing/) ## Related quotes > [In a real fight, there ain't no time and you've got to use your wits. If someone were threatening the life of my child,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugo-weaving/in-a-real-fight-there-ain-t-no-time-and-you-ve-got-to-use-your-wits/) [Hugo Weaving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugo-weaving/) > [David Roberts, who is a writer at Vox who I like, had a line about the voter - your voters weren't locked in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hayes/david-roberts-who-is-a-writer-at-vox-who-i-like-had-a-line-about-the/) [Chris Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hayes/) > [If you want to really sort of quantify the dereliction of the Republican establishment, those two facts are the most important two facts. One,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hayes/if-you-want-to-really-sort-of-quantify-the-dereliction-of-the/) [Chris Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hayes/) > [The Republican establishment cringe at the very discussion of social issues. They are in favor of big government for the most part. They think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/the-republican-establishment-cringe-at-the-very-discussion-of-social/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [The Republican establishment, the mainstream corporate financial wealth, is getting to a point where it can't control the base it's mobilized.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-republican-establishment-the-mainstream-corporate-financial/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [The whole Republican establishment has united to destroy his bid to be the nominee of the Republican Party.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-farrakhan/the-whole-republican-establishment-has-united-to-destroy-his-bid-to/) [Louis Farrakhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-farrakhan/) > [I'll tell you something else, and certainly you're not gonna remember this because the media landscape wasn't the same. But the Republican establishment hated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/i-ll-tell-you-something-else-and-certainly-you-re-not-gonna-remember/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [While Trump keeps the spotlight on himself, the "respectable" Republican establishment chips away at government programs that benefit the general population.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/while-trump-keeps-the-spotlight-on-himself-the-respectable-republican/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Republican establishment figures have fallen for the claim that suburban mothers can be turned Democrat by attacks on Republicans as racist. They haven't figured…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mollie-hemingway/republican-establishment-figures-have-fallen-for-the-claim-that/) [Mollie Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mollie-hemingway/) > [ There's a split in the US about how this \[split\] will be resolved. The main point to look at is the split within the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/there-s-a-split-in-the-us-about-how-this-split-will-be-resolved-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [I will put the Republican establishment on my shoulders and drag them kicking and screaming back to the Constitution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madison-cawthorn/i-will-put-the-republican-establishment-on-my-shoulders-and-drag-them/) [Madison Cawthorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madison-cawthorn/) > [The Tea Party in the United States' biggest fight is with the the Republican establishment, which is really a collection of crony capitalists that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-bannon/the-tea-party-in-the-united-states-biggest-fight-is-with-the-the/) [Steve Bannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-bannon/) > [The Republican establishment's 2008 embrace of Palin set an irresponsibly low bar. Coincidence or not, a batch of nonsense-spewing, hard-right candidates quickly followed, often…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-m-daley/the-republican-establishment-s-2008-embrace-of-palin-set-an/) [William M. Daley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-m-daley/) > [Republican primary voters, whether they're close primaries or open, are voting for anybody but candidates attached to the Republican establishment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/republican-primary-voters-whether-they-re-close-primaries-or-open-are/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [There are big, extremely irrational parts of the society, and they have now been mobilized politically by the Republican establishment, hoping that these people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/there-are-big-extremely-irrational-parts-of-the-society-and-they-have/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) ## More by MJ Hegar > [I'm kind of used to people trying to define me or, you know, lying about me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mj-hegar/i-m-kind-of-used-to-people-trying-to-define-me-or-you-know-lying/) [MJ Hegar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mj-hegar/) > [With the situation I was in when I was shot down, I self-identified as having PTSD.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mj-hegar/with-the-situation-i-was-in-when-i-was-shot-down-i-self-identified-as/) [MJ Hegar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mj-hegar/) > [I'm not a big fan of dealing with stereotypes because I think everybody's unique and I have met plenty of people who have bucked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mj-hegar/i-m-not-a-big-fan-of-dealing-with-stereotypes-because-i-think/) [MJ Hegar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mj-hegar/) > [I've voted in a Republican primary in the past. That's something unique to Texas and a handful of other states, that we don't register…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mj-hegar/i-ve-voted-in-a-republican-primary-in-the-past-that-s-something/) [MJ Hegar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mj-hegar/) > [It's important not to try to convince others of your own reasons for change. Finding the reason why they should want to support your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mj-hegar/it-s-important-not-to-try-to-convince-others-of-your-own-reasons-for/) [MJ Hegar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mj-hegar/) > [I'm very confident, that I'm going to be able to deliver better leadership to Texas than John Cornyn does - more reflective of Texas…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mj-hegar/i-m-very-confident-that-i-m-going-to-be-able-to-deliver-better/) [MJ Hegar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mj-hegar/) > [We have the tools to be a stronger nation than we were before Sept. 11, 2001. We have learned valuable lessons about the danger…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mj-hegar/we-have-the-tools-to-be-a-stronger-nation-than-we-were-before-sept-11/) [MJ Hegar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mj-hegar/) > [Texas kind of operates as if we're our own little country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mj-hegar/texas-kind-of-operates-as-if-we-re-our-own-little-country/) [MJ Hegar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mj-hegar/) > [I've seen men and women who were fit for combat that I wanted to fight beside, and men and women who I really wouldn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mj-hegar/i-ve-seen-men-and-women-who-were-fit-for-combat-that-i-wanted-to/) [MJ Hegar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mj-hegar/) > [I had medevacked so many women off the battlefield that I knew that it was a misnomer to say that women weren't in combat.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mj-hegar/i-had-medevacked-so-many-women-off-the-battlefield-that-i-knew-that/) [MJ Hegar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mj-hegar/) > [I didn't want to crash into the ocean, but from watching Han Solo navigate an asteroid field to watching movies like 'Perfect Storm,' it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mj-hegar/i-didn-t-want-to-crash-into-the-ocean-but-from-watching-han-solo/) [MJ Hegar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mj-hegar/) > [So, you know, I actually don't think it's going to be that hard to spread the message to people that their leadership - not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mj-hegar/so-you-know-i-actually-don-t-think-it-s-going-to-be-that-hard-to/) [MJ Hegar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mj-hegar/) > [Texans and independent voters like to vote for somebody who is going to buck the status quo, and isn't going to do as he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mj-hegar/texans-and-independent-voters-like-to-vote-for-somebody-who-is-going/) [MJ Hegar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mj-hegar/) > [I am for the Second Amendment, but I am for common-sense gun legislation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mj-hegar/i-am-for-the-second-amendment-but-i-am-for-common-sense-gun/) [MJ Hegar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mj-hegar/) > [History will do what it always does. It will make ignorant statements, in retrospect, seem shortsighted and discriminatory, and the women who will serve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mj-hegar/history-will-do-what-it-always-does-it-will-make-ignorant-statements/) [MJ Hegar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mj-hegar/) [Explore all 61 MJ Hegar quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mj-hegar/) ## More Fighter quotes > [I said that I was gonna smash him in three rounds, and that's what I did.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-haye/i-said-that-i-was-gonna-smash-him-in-three-rounds-and-that-s-what-i/) [David Haye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-haye/) > [It's not about size, it's a science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-ward/it-s-not-about-size-it-s-a-science/) [Andre Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-ward/) > [I'm not taking him lightly at all. I mean, Heiland, he's a good fighter. He's strong. He comes to fight every time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jermall-charlo/i-m-not-taking-him-lightly-at-all-i-mean-heiland-he-s-a-good-fighter/) [Jermall Charlo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jermall-charlo/) > [You've got to be careful against classy fighters, especially counter-punchers because if you go for the finish too early, you can end up getting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-froch/you-ve-got-to-be-careful-against-classy-fighters-especially-counter/) [Carl Froch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-froch/) > [“I'm not an alcoholic, I am freedom fighter against the teetotal taliban.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-murray/i-m-not-an-alcoholic-i-am-freedom-fighter-against-the-teetotal-taliban/) [Al Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-murray/) > [I'm a fighter, I love boxing, it's what I do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-mosley/i-m-a-fighter-i-love-boxing-it-s-what-i-do/) [Shane Mosley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-mosley/) > [I don't mind people want to think Muhammad is the greatest fighter around. Everybody wants to make him great because of his mouth, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-frazier/i-don-t-mind-people-want-to-think-muhammad-is-the-greatest-fighter/) [Joe Frazier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-frazier/) > [I don't walk around looking into cameras and telling people I'm the best fighter in the world just to hear myself talk. I say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chael-sonnen/i-don-t-walk-around-looking-into-cameras-and-telling-people-i-m-the/) [Chael Sonnen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chael-sonnen/) > [Before The Ultimate Fighter, I was appearing before a couple of hundred people at most. Now, I'm on the card of a Las Vegas…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-whittaker/before-the-ultimate-fighter-i-was-appearing-before-a-couple-of/) [Robert Whittaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-whittaker/) > [“She's not the enemy. She's just a dirty fighter.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tarryn-fisher/she-s-not-the-enemy-she-s-just-a-dirty-fighter/) [Tarryn Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tarryn-fisher/) > [I've been able to not only be a fighter, but a thinking fighter, where I can use my insight into the business and politics…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikey-garcia/i-ve-been-able-to-not-only-be-a-fighter-but-a-thinking-fighter-where/) [Mikey Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikey-garcia/) > [I was 35 years old and in a position to take a shot at whatever I wanted to try. The Air Force said I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-doyle/i-was-35-years-old-and-in-a-position-to-take-a-shot-at-whatever-i/) [Jerry Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-doyle/) > [You see, at the beginning we weren't fighters. We weren't yellers or throwers, even if we eventually came to be. It would take time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dinaw-mengestu/you-see-at-the-beginning-we-weren-t-fighters-we-weren-t-yellers-or/) [Dinaw Mengestu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dinaw-mengestu/) > [Therefore the good fighter will be terrible in his onset, and prompt in his decision.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/therefore-the-good-fighter-will-be-terrible-in-his-onset-and-prompt/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [After eight years of Obama one thing is clear: Conservatives want a fighter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-schlapp/after-eight-years-of-obama-one-thing-is-clear-conservatives-want-a/) [Matt Schlapp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-schlapp/) [Browse all 2,705 Fighter quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fighter/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Ted Cruz cut his teeth politically in Texas on disrupting the Republican establishment, and Texans love a fighter. 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