Cruz’s victory says the most important and powerful force in the Republican Party right now is the tea party combined with a genuinely impressive candidate. We had the tea party victory in the Indiana Senate race a little while ago, but that was almost entirely a rejection of the incumbent, Dick Lugar, rather than an endorsement of the challenger. This was all about Ted Cruz, who had to overcome major deficits. He had no electoral experience when he started, no name ID, running against a figure embedded in the Texas establishment with tons of his own money to spend. And Ted Cruz overcame that because of the tea party and because of his ability to articulate and stand for its ideals. -Rich Lowry

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U.S. Senate candidate Ted Cruz, Texas Republican, is not just any kind of Republican, but a tea party with a capital "T" Republican. In a runoff election in the GOP Senate primary this week, Cruz beat the so-called establishment candidate, incumbent Lieutenant Governor David Dewhurst, 57 to 43 percent. Dewhurst isn't exactly a moderate. He was endorsed by Texas Governor Rick Perry. But Ted Cruz has some friends of his own, notably former Governor and `08 vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin. Cruz is a Princeton University grad, a debating champ, a Harvard Law graduate, and served as solicitor general of Texas, the top lawyer for the state for five years, 2003 to 2008. He's argued nine cases before the United States Supreme Court, and once clerked for Chief Justice William Rehnquist. Currently Cruz is a partner at a top law firm, Morgan Lewis. His father was from Cuba. At age 41, Cruz has never been elected to public office. So how does Cruz explain his win over David Dewhurst, the incumbent lieutenant governor, a wealthy businessman who spent $19 million of his own money on this race? Quote Look, everyone who has a vested interest in the status quo, in business as usual, in spending and spending and spending, wants to stop anyone who wants to stop that gravy train. Unquote. So says Cruz. This November, Cruz must still face the Democrat in the race, Paul Sadler, for the seat being vacated by the outgoing Republican Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison.