Cruz wins divisive Texas GOP runoff

Tea Party-backed Republican Ted Cruz knocked off party-establishment choice Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst in Texas' Senate runoff election Tuesday that was widely watched nationally.

By winning the GOP nomination, Cruz becomes a heavy favorite to win the seat in the November general election, as conservative-leaning Texas has not elected a Democrat statewide since 1994. He will face former state representative Paul Sadler, who won the Democratic runoff.

The seat is now held by Republican Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, who is retiring.

"We are witnessing a great awakening," Cruz told supporters in Houston after Dewhurst called him to concede. "Millions of Texans, millions of Americans are rising up to reclaim our country, to defend liberty and to restore the Constitution."

Dewhurst said his campaign "got beat up a little bit, but we never gave up."

Dewhurst easily led in the first primary in May, aided by support from Republican Gov. Rick Perry, but he fell short of winning a majority among nine candidates and was forced into a runoff. Cruz enjoyed surging support in the runoff that spotlighted divisions between Texas' mainstream and Tea Party-oriented Republicans.

Cruz competed against a better-funded and better-known establishment favorite based largely on his appeal to grass-roots conservatives and endorsements from national party leaders, including former Alaska governor Sarah Palin and Sen. Jim DeMint, R-S.C.

"What we've found is, if you've got grass-roots energy, all you really need is enough money to get you on the radar," DeMint said.

Cruz's victory joins Richard Mourdock's ousting of Indiana Sen. Richard Lugar in his May primary as the two most significant Republican establishment upsets of the 2012 Senate races.

The race highlights the ongoing electoral tussle between the Republican establishment and conservative grass roots in the nominating process.

Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, who runs the Senate Republicans' campaign operation, attributed Cruz's rise to lingering anger in the electorate for Washington's failure to solve problems such as the national debt and the pending expiration of the Bush-era tax cuts.

The sitting position is a much more natural posture and helps avoid back problems associated with leaning over a bowl. The machine also uses less water and cleans clothes faster and with less effort than traditional methods, while users’ hands are freed to carry out other tasks.

In winter, clothes can take up to three weeks to drip dry but when the GiraDora’s water is emptied, the clothes can continue to be spun to dry more quickly, avoiding mold growth and tenosynovitis linked with wringing wet clothes.

For the Sauvignon Blanc popsicles then add a 1-inch piece of vanilla bean that is cut lengthwise and steep for 15 minutes. Then remove the bean and allow the syrup to cool before stirring in 3 or 4 ripe peaches that have been lightly pureed as well as 7 ounces of Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc. Next, pour the mixture into popsicle molds and freeze until solid.

To make the Pinot Noir popsicles, skip vanilla bean and substitute 5 cups of lightly pureed ripe blackberries for the peach as well as substituting 7 ounces of Kim Crawford Pinot Noir.

Kim Crawford was founded in 1996 and in addition to the two wines listed above, they also produce an unoaked Chardonnay and a Pinot Grigio from Marlborough, as well as a Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc that are produced from small parcels that have been hand-selected and contain extremely high-quality fruit.