Rep. Peters Lambasts Ted Cruz on Day of San Diego Visit

SAN DIEGO, CA: As Republicans readied Monday for the visit to San Diego of Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, a local Democratic Congressman blasted the presidential candidate.

Ahead of the 6 p.m. rally for Cruz at the Town & Country Resort in Mission Valley, U.S. Rep. Scott Peters, D-San Diego, and Democratic National Committee Communications Director Luis Miranda held a phone conference Monday morning with reporters to discuss why they believe Cruz is not the candidate for San Diegans.

“The government shutdown was Cruz’s main accomplishment as senator,” Peters said. “ ... In San Diego, we understand exactly who was hurt by that political Tea Party stunt...We have scientists and researchers that depend on basic science research grants that had to suspend their work often.”

Defense contractors were also hurt, as were the region’s many military families, said Peters, whose 52nd District encompasses a large swath of the region including Coronado, La Jolla, Carmel Valley, Poway, Rancho Bernardo, 4S Ranch and many other cities and communities.

Peters also said Cruz’s denial of climate change is another reason the senator is no good for San Diego, whose many coastal cities are threatened by sea-level rise, some say research has shown.

“Senator Cruz will be in San Diego today pretending there is no issue ... He says quote, ‘There has been no warming whatsoever,’” Peters said. “I don’t know what data he is looking at...I reiterate, Senator Cruz’s values and beliefs don’t align at all with the people of California.”

Cruz’s campaign visit to San Diego comes 57 days before the June 7 California primary.

The 45-year-old Cruz held a rally earlier Monday in Irvine.

Both of Cruz's opponents for the Republican nomination — Businessman Donald J. Trump and Ohio Gov. John Kasich — were scheduled to campaign in New York Monday in advance of the state's April 19 primary.

“Ted Cruz doesn’t actually have a chance at defeating Donald Trump on the delegate count without forcing a floor fight at the convention, which doesn’t bode well for Republicans," Miranda said Monday morning on the call with reporters. "So Cruz’s campaign is proving to be just as divisive for the Republican Party as his tenure in the Senate has been for our country ... That’s why there just isn’t a whole lot of excitement for Ted Cruz being the Republican nominee."

But after winning all 13 delegates at stake Saturday at the Colorado Republican Party State Convention, Cruz issued a statement declaring, "This election is about the hope that our children can still have a more promising landscape of opportunity than generations past.

"It's about bringing together Americans from all backgrounds who know that we will be stronger, more prosperous, and infinitely more free if we return power in Washington back to the people.

"So that Americans are free to create better jobs, live and worship freely, and once again proudly defend 'the last best hope of Earth."'

—City News Service contributed to this report.

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Originally published at 2 p.m. April 11, 2016