Ted Cruz wants to be the Uber of politics.
Playing to a crowded room of adoring fans at the Conservative Political Action Conference on Thursday, Ted Cruz gave the crowd just what they wanted: a fiery speech full of conservative red meat.
But the senator from Texas and all-but-certain presidential contender also played up his fluency with the younger generation. He asked attendees to pull out their phones and text the word "Constitution" to the number 33733, allowing his nascent campaign to instantaneously collect data on possible supporters. His personal brand of politics, he said, jibes less with a divided Washington, and more with the innovative apps of Silicon Valley, such as popular ride-sharing services Uber and Lyft.
"What I'm trying to do more than anything else is bring a disruptive app to politics," he said.
Cruz criticized politicians in his own party for failing to stand up for what they believe in, saying, "Talk is cheap."
"Actions speak far, far louder than words," he said. "We need to look to people who walk the walk and don't just talk the talk."
The divide in Washington isn't between Republicans and Democrats, Cruz said, but between career politicians and "the American people."