Ted Cruz mocked Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez at CPAC after the congresswoman raised millions for his Texan constituents

Senator Ted Cruz speaks at CPAC.

John Raoux/AP Photo

• Sen. Ted Cruz mocked Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez for her response to the Capitol insurrection.
• Cruz said: "Especially now, the left, they are shrill. They are angry."
• Speaking at CPAC, Cruz also took aim at Sen. Bernie Sanders for wearing mittens. 
• Visit the Business section of Insider for more stories.

Senator Ted Cruz on Friday mocked New York Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who has raised millions for his Texas constituents, for her response to the January 6 Capitol riots. 

"We are gathered in dark times," Cruz told the crowd at the CPAC in Orlando on Friday. 

Cruz's CPAC address was billed as a discussion of the "Bill of Rights, Liberty, and Cancel Culture." On stage, Cruz also took aim at Senator Bernie Sanders for wearing mittens to President Joe Biden's inauguration. 

He said: "We're gathered at a time where the hard left, where the socialists control the levers of government, where they control the White House, where they control every executive branch, where they control both houses of Congress. Bernie is wearing mittens, and AOC is telling us she was murdered."

Cruz seemed to be referring to comments Ocasio-Cortez made in the wake of the January 6 assault on the Capitol. Speaking on Instagram Live, the congresswoman said: "I thought I was going to die." 

Ocasio-Cortez called for censures or resignations from colleagues who she said encouraged the insurrection, including Cruz and Senator Josh Hawley. 

To Cruz, she said: "You almost had me murdered three weeks ago."

Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and Rep. Sylvia Garcia load boxes at their work station at the Houston Food Bank on Saturday.

Elizabeth Conley/Houston Chronicle/Pool via Reuters

The political rivalry between Cruz and Ocasio-Cortez was amplified this month as a winter storm knocked out power to millions in Texas. 

During the storm, Cruz flew to Cancún with his family. He returned a day later amid growing criticism. 

Ocasio-Cortez raised millions for Texans suffering after the storms. She flew to Houston to volunteer at the Houston Food Bank with Reps. Sheila Jackson Lee and Sylvia Garcia. 

Speaking in Orlando on Friday, Cruz urged Americans to "have fun."

"Just lighten up," he said. "Especially now, the left, they are shrill, they are angry. How many leftists does it take to screw in a light bulb? That's not funny. God bless, who would want to be around these people?"

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