Ted Cruz, like other Republican presidential candidates, is all for Indiana's license-to-discriminate law.
The 2016 Republican presidential candidates have
gotten behind Gov. Mike Pence in defending Indiana's new license-to-discriminate law, and that has some Republican strategists
a little nervous:
“This is another case where the Iowa caucus beckons,” veteran GOP strategist John Weaver said. “Politically, it’s a difficult issue for a general election. After watching the Romney campaign in 2012, a lot of people said, ‘Do no harm to your general-election chances while trying to win the nomination.’ Having said that, you have to win the nomination first.” [...]
Vin Weber, a former congressman and Bush ally, said he is concerned about the general-election implications and whether the Indiana debate damages the Republican brand with moderate and independent voters. “Everyone likes Mike Pence, and they’re concerned about the primary politics of the marriage issue, but I’m a little worried they’re not thinking of the broader perceptions of the party,” he said.
Most voters aren't going to the polls in a year and a half thinking specifically about the Republican nominee's support for this law, but there's that "broader perceptions of the party" thing—this helps cement the general view that Republicans are actively against equal rights and in favor of discrimination.
Hope springs hilariously eternal for the Log Cabin Republicans:
Gregory Angelo, executive director of Log Cabin Republicans, said the controversy surrounding Pence will ultimately push his party to support anti-discrimination laws for LGBT people, just as they have been pushed to moderate their stances on same-sex marriage.
“The Indiana state Legislature has just handed Democrats a gift on a silver platter” by forcing Republicans to take a stand on anti-discrimination protections that they’d rather not talk about, Angelo said.
I wouldn't hold my breath on the Republican Party supporting anti-discrimination laws, though the gift on a silver platter part is true. Then again, it's unlikely to be the only such gift on a silver platter Republicans dish up when it comes to LGBT rights. Especially if we can get Rand Paul to go back to
talking about how "I don’t think I’ve ever used the word gay rights, because I don’t really believe in rights based on your behavior."