Dan Crenshaw defeated by Cruz-backed state lawmaker in Texas GOP primary, boosting MAGA clout

By Fox News · Fox News

Four-term Rep. Dan Crenshaw, R-Texas, lost his Republican primary battle on Tuesday to Steve Toth, a state representative and businessman, following years of turmoil between Crenshaw and the MAGA faction of the Republican Party that questioned Crenshaw's loyalty to Trump. The 2nd Congressional District primary that ended Tuesday with Toth beating out Crenshaw drew a sharp line within the Republican Party. Crenshaw was not formally endorsed by President Donald Trump or Texas Gov. Greg Abbott. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, endorsed Toth after he reportedly got into a tiff with Crenshaw at the airport over whether the senator was working against the representative's reelection. Ahead of the Tuesday primary, Toth positioned himself as the more loyal conservative, comparing Crenshaw to a "version of Liz Cheney," who, when in Congress, found herself frequently at odds with Trump before exiting public office. DOJ SUES 5 MORE STATES, DEMANDING ACCESS TO VOTER ROLLS: ‘WE WILL NOT BE DETERRED’ Toth, a Texas State Representative since 2019 who also owns a residential and commercial pool management company, received endorsements from the House Freedom Caucus, Turning Point USA, Sen. Cruz, Texas Right to Life, 21 Republican colleagues from the Texas state legislature and some high-profile local conservatives. Meanwhile, Crenshaw received endorsements from Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, leader of the House Judiciary Committee, Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., the National Border Patrol Council, and the National Rifle Association, among others. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise also told media ahead of the primary that he "supported" Crenshaw, and that "hopefully he pulls it out." Crenshaw, a former Navy SEAL who lost his eye in combat and currently sits on the powerful House intelligence committee, fought back against the label that he was an insufficiently loyal MAGA Republican ahead of the primary. "My relationship with Trump is good," Crenshaw told the Houston Chronicle, which also endo…