In his second visit to the U.S.-Mexico border since taking office nearly 16 months ago, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz told a far South Texas audience that Texans in the area care mostly about the same issues as those in other parts of the state.
However, the Texas Republican bypassed his often-expressed concerns for illegal immigration and border security in his address Thursday to the Harlingen Chamber of Commerce. Instead, he focused his criticisms on White House economic policies.
Cruz also was to appear in Laredo in a campaign-style tour of the border area.
The tea party favorite is frequently mentioned as a possible 2016 presidential hopeful. Some have criticized him, though, for visiting Iowa, which kicks off presidential voting, four times while visiting the Texas-Mexico border once before as senator.
Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.