Peter King Blasts Ted Cruz Over Presidential Bid

Long Island’s Peter King does not approve of the first Republican to announce their candidacy for president.

The Massapequa congressman blasted Sen. Ted Cruz, a fellow Republican from Texas, who announced Monday that he is running for the party’s nomination for president in 2016.

“ The Republican party and the American people have to be able to find a more qualified candidate for President than Ted Cruz,” King said in a statement on his Facebook page.

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“Shutting down the federal government and reading Dr. Seuss on the Senate floor are the marks of a carnival barker not the leader of the free world.”

King himself is reportedly pondering the idea of throwing his own hat in the ring for the Republican nomination but has not announced plans to run. Meanwhile, he isn’t holding back in voicing his disapproval of Cruz.

“ We need intelligent debate in this country,” King added in an interview with CNN Monday.

“Ted Cruz may be an intelligent person, but he doesn’t carry out an intelligent debate. He oversimplifies, he exaggerates...he doesn’t provide leadership and he has no real experience.”

Cruz was the first politician from any party to officially announce he is running in 2016, according to the New York Times.

Photo: Sen. Ted Cruz/Rep. Peter King

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