Cruz Says Rubio and Booker Gave 'Lame Ass Excuse' for not Accepting his Basketball Challenge

Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) spoke with Texas Politics’ Javier Manjarres regarding one of his recreational hobbies: the sport of basketball. He also called out his colleagues Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ)  and Marco Rubio (R-FL)for not accepting the challenge of facing him on the hardwood.

“I play hoops, as you know. Every week. I’m going to play this afternoon … there’s more violence than skill. No blood, no foul. I did have a law clerk [who] broke my thumb playing hoops,” said Sen. Cruz.

He continued, “A number of senators have played. Eric Schmitt’s played several times. Dan Sullivan’s played several times. Tim Scott’s played, Brian Schatz has played. Two senators: Cory Booker and Marco Rubio, both gave me the same lame-ass excuse. They both said ‘Ted, if you’re over 40 and you’re playing hoops, you’re going to tear your Achilles.’ And I said to both of them, ‘You can either be dead or you can act like you’re dead.’”

However, Sen. Cruz acknowledged that he might be lacking in athleticism compared to Senator Rubio, but especially Senator Booker, who played major college football at Stanford.

“I was the kind of guy that Cory Booker would stuff in a locker in school,” explained Cruz.

Regarding the invitation to play basketball, Cruz brought up the notion that it was Booker who publicly extended the offer to the Texas senator to meet him on the court, but it has never happened. Cruz believes it is Booker ducking him, not the other way around.

“In a judiciary hearing, he actually called me out and said, ‘Cruz is afraid to play me.’ And he actually quoted Markwayne Mullin when he got into it with the Teamsters guy, he quoted him and he said, ‘to quote a recent hearing, anytime, anyplace’ is what Cory said.”

According to Cruz, he responded with another quote from Sen. Mullin’s viral moment as he said, “Now’s the time, here’s a place.”

Cruz confirmed that Sen. Booker has not taken him on to meet on the hardwood.

The Texas senator faces another challenge (this one being political) from Representative Colin Allred (R-TX) as they vie for Cruz’s seat.