Ted Cruz Dodges Iowa Public TV’s Islam Questions

An Iowa news outlet tried–and failed–to draft Sen. Ted Cruz into the media’s campaign against Dr. Ben Carson, following the doctor’s Sunday declaration of opposition to Islamic ideology.

On September 20, Carson frankly said, “I would not advocate that we put a Muslim in charge of this nation.” Carson did not address the legality of electing a Muslim president.

But progressives insist that politicians running in a democratic election campaign should not criticize Islam’s ideology, and they are now suggesting that Carson’s stand against advocating for a Muslim for the presidency somehow violates the law.

Iowa’s taxpayer-funded Iowa Public Television asked Cruz to criticize Carson’s view of Islam, but Cruz simply noted that the law does not forbid Muslims–no matter how orthodox--from serving in federal offices. “You know, the Constitution specifies there shall be no religious test for public office and I am a constitutionalist,” Cruz told the TV interviewer, according to The Des Moines Register.

The Des Moines Register highlighted Cruz’s obvious constitutional point, and did not mention whether Cruz said he shared Carson’s policy objections against the election of a Muslim president.

Currently, progressives are welcoming Muslim refugees and immigrants, as well as many other forms of “diversity” because they want to undermine America’s small-government culture.

The Iowa Public Television questioner also asked Cruz if Donald Trump should have corrected a man at a Trump rally who stated that President Obama is a Muslim.

Cruz dodged the Iowa question, saying “The president’s faith is between him and God. What I’m going to focus on is his public policy record.”

When asked about the migration of Muslims out of failing Islamic societies, Cruz said Muslims from Syria who want asylum should emigrate to other Middle Eastern countries.

However, he said the West should welcome Christians persecuted by Muslims. “I think the Christians are a very different circumstance because Christians are being persecuted; they are being persecuted directly for their faith and the Obama administration has abandoned Middle East Christians.”

Governor Bobby Jindal and Carly Fiorina have also taken Cruz’s position. Rick Santorum has suggested that America should assist fleeing Christians so they can return home once peace is established.

At the Iowa Faith and Freedom Coalition dinner Saturday night, Cruz and Gov. Bobby Jindal were the most warmly received candidates.

After his appearance on Iowa Press, Cruz visited the Machine Shed Restaurant in Urbandale, IA, to join customers for discussions. He said, “I feel very, very encouraged. We’re doing well in the national polls and we’re doing well here in Iowa. People are tired of just candidates that talk a good game on the campaign trail. They want someone who has a record and tells the truth and do what they say.”