Rep. Castro: What about Texas’ 6 million uninsured, Cruz?

Sen. Ted Cruz's Texas colleague doesn't think the junior senator would make a good president. "He can’t become president, and the reason is nobody will follow him. Even people within his own party won’t follow him," said Rep. Castro.

At the start of his 21-hour anti-Obamacare stand from the Senate floor, Ted Cruz declared that he spoke for all Texans and all Americans: “I rise today in opposition to Obamacare. I rise today in an effort to speak for 26 million Texans and for 300 million Americans.”

But Rep. Joaquin Castro, a Texas Democrat, wants to know: what about the millions of uninsured Texans?

For Subscribers

FOR SUBSCRIBERSAbdul El-Sayed tries to woo MAHA voters as Democrats seek inroads with RFK’s supporters

FOR SUBSCRIBERSKratom-like substances are popping up in a typically benign supplement

FOR SUBSCRIBERSGOP super PAC increases its spending for Sen. Jon Husted in tough Ohio race

FOR SUBSCRIBERSRecords reveal tumultuous marriage between slain New York Times executive and wife

FOR SUBSCRIBERSFrom clean energy warrior to ‘wall of shame,’ James Talarico reverses on a fossil fuel money pledge

FOR SUBSCRIBERSCongressional staff planned official trip with luxury stops in Italy and France weeks before election

FOR SUBSCRIBERSA harrowing ordeal aboard an Israel-bound plane

FOR SUBSCRIBERSOpenAI CEO Sam Altman to skip congressional hearing on rogue AI agents

FOR SUBSCRIBERSKey DOJ lawyers departed Trump ‘grand conspiracy’ probe amid pressure to produce, source says

FOR SUBSCRIBERSTrump’s new AI chatbot often links to a site launched under Clinton 26 years ago

FOR SUBSCRIBERSAt MAHA summit, industry CEOs the movement once vilified take the stage

FOR SUBSCRIBERSThis Paralympian has two goals: Win medals and give away $500,000 to her teammates

FOR SUBSCRIBERSCornell rape allegation spotlights stringent New York state laws that have long drawn criticism

FOR SUBSCRIBERSThe debate over AI’s future rages on both coasts

FOR SUBSCRIBERSDecades-old march dispute reignites in Northern Ireland, threatening political crisis

“It was really hard to hear Ted speak about representing 26 million Texans when he was giving that talk,” Castro said on Morning Joe Friday. ”‘Cause there are millions and millions of Texans who are without healthcare coverage and disagree with this point of view and who also are looking forward to the chance to get healthcare coverage.”

More than 6.1 million Texans do not have health care coverage in Texas, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation.

For Subscribers

FOR SUBSCRIBERSAbdul El-Sayed tries to woo MAHA voters as Democrats seek inroads with RFK’s supporters

FOR SUBSCRIBERSKratom-like substances are popping up in a typically benign supplement

FOR SUBSCRIBERSGOP super PAC increases its spending for Sen. Jon Husted in tough Ohio race

FOR SUBSCRIBERSRecords reveal tumultuous marriage between slain New York Times executive and wife

FOR SUBSCRIBERSFrom clean energy warrior to ‘wall of shame,’ James Talarico reverses on a fossil fuel money pledge

FOR SUBSCRIBERSCongressional staff planned official trip with luxury stops in Italy and France weeks before election

FOR SUBSCRIBERSA harrowing ordeal aboard an Israel-bound plane

FOR SUBSCRIBERSOpenAI CEO Sam Altman to skip congressional hearing on rogue AI agents

FOR SUBSCRIBERSKey DOJ lawyers departed Trump ‘grand conspiracy’ probe amid pressure to produce, source says

FOR SUBSCRIBERSTrump’s new AI chatbot often links to a site launched under Clinton 26 years ago

FOR SUBSCRIBERSAt MAHA summit, industry CEOs the movement once vilified take the stage

FOR SUBSCRIBERSThis Paralympian has two goals: Win medals and give away $500,000 to her teammates

FOR SUBSCRIBERSCornell rape allegation spotlights stringent New York state laws that have long drawn criticism

FOR SUBSCRIBERSThe debate over AI’s future rages on both coasts

FOR SUBSCRIBERSDecades-old march dispute reignites in Northern Ireland, threatening political crisis

“Twenty-five percent of people, 1 in 4 people, in Texas don’t have health care coverage. Thirty-eight percent of Hispanics, the fastest growing population in America, don’t have health care in Texas. This is gonna  be a good thing. Already in San Antonio, we’re going to have 58 plans to choose from. People are already asking questions about how they can sign up,” Castro said on Friday’s Morning Joe.

As as for the voice du jour of opposition to Obamacare: his Texas colleague Cruz?

“He wanted to make a big splash and he certainly has, but he’s done something which is unusual, which is he’s made Washington worst. He’s made the polarization worse,” Castro said. “I think what became clear this week is he can’t become president and the reason is nobody will follow him. Even people within his own party won’t follow him.”