Attorney Dan Crenshaw says misinformation played a role in the primary loss, asking “are you going to believe everything you read on the Internet?”
Rep. Dan Crenshaw, who recently lost the primary to a conservative challenger, said Sunday that while he believes misinformation played a role in his loss, American voters need to pay more attention to the truth.
“So the lesson you have to learn is, you have to get the truth out,” Crenshaw said “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan.” “You have to try. But ultimately, this is a question for the American people. Are you going to believe everything you read on the Internet or sent to you through your mail?”
Crenshaw, a Texas Republican, he lost in the primary on March 3 to say Rep. Steve Toth, one of the most conservative Republicans in the state Legislature. Their district, Texas’ 2nd congressional district, is heavily Republican, so the winner of the primary is highly favored to win in November.
Currently in his fourth term, Crenshaw is the only House Republican in Texas who has not received the endorsement of President Trump, while GOP Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas endorsed Toth. On the campaign trail, Toth argued that Crenshaw was being dishonest or not playing hard enough in the “Make America Great Again” coalition.
Crenshaw said Sunday that he “has been the target of online smears for a very long time” and that his loss “was a product of that.”
Crenshaw says Trump is “doing what’s needed” in the Middle East
In an interview that aired on Sunday, Crenshaw also talked about the Middle East, such as The United States and Israel continue to strike Iranwho responded by launching attacks across the Gulf.
Crenshaw said Mr. Trump is “doing what is necessary” as the Pentagon will send several thousand marines to the region.
“I think it shows that there is a seriousness to support any emergency operation that may be needed,” said the congressman and former Navy SEAL.
“If you’re going to do this, which we’ve done, you need to see everything,” he added.
When asked about the messages being sent to the US military by Defense Department Secretary Pete Hegseth, who said earlier this month there would be no “stupid rules of engagement” and “no politically correct wars,” Crenshaw praised Hegseth for what he said was clear military language for the military to follow.
“If you’ve fought in these wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, you’ll be familiar with the bad rules of engagement,” Crenshaw said. “You know the kind of thing that says, look, you can’t shoot unless you get shot. What he’s saying is we’re targeting the Iranian military without quarter.”
Hegseth “makes it clear about our military,” Crenshaw said, adding that it’s something the US has lacked in many past conflicts.
Crenshaw also said he’s not worried that the language could inflame enemies.
“The rules of engagement will be very clear and effective and written down for our soldiers,” he said. “I don’t think it sends any wrong message … I think it sends the right message.”
Islamophobic rhetoric on GOP “fairly fringe”
Asked about the anti-Muslim messages that have come from some Republican lawmakers in recent days – including Sen. Tommy Tuberville from Alabama who posted a photo of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani at a Ramadan event and a photo of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, and Rep. Andy Ogles of Tennessee who said that Muslims do not belong in American society – Crenshaw called the Islamophobic propaganda within his party “fringe fair.”
Crenshaw, whose term as representative of Texas’ second congressional district is expected to expire after his own loss in the GOP primary earlier this monththen he said, “I mean, the fact of the matter is, radical Islam is bad, right? We’ve always known that … That should never be a controversial statement.”
“There’s a Republican debate going on right now about Israel and anti-legislative issues, so, you know, one could make the argument that speaking out against it has fueled it,” Crenshaw said. “So, look, I still think that’s very fringe. I don’t think that’s — it’s certainly not an administrative position. And like, we’re going to follow strict Islam, that’s why we need to fund agencies like DHS, and that’s what we’re going to do.”
