Cruz beats Dewhurst in Texas to be the Republican nominee for Senate. Tea Party scores again.

Texas' drift toward the Tea Party brand of GOP conservatism continued Tuesday when lawyer Ted Cruz scored a surprisingly easy win over David Dewhurst in the Republican primary runoff for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Kay Bailey Hutchison.

Cruz once was considered a long shot to take down well-heeled Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst – the favorite of the party establishment and Hutchison's heir apparent. But he steadily gained in the polls during their bare-knuckles campaign brawl, and his lead opened up as soon as the earliest returns were posted. By 8:30 p.m. the Associated Press had named Cruz the winner, and within an hour Dewhurst called Cruz to concede...

Cruz said his win suggests "a great awakening" that is taking place across the country.

"Millions of Texans, millions of Americans are rising up to reclaim our country, to defend liberty and defend the Constitution," he said.

It wan't even close.