Cruz speaking at a Tea Party rally in Austin, Texas. (Wikimedia Commons)

Ted Cruz, a former state solicitor general, beat longtime Texas Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst in an upset in the runoff election to replace retiring Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison in Texas's position in the Senate. 

Dewhurst had been a Texas Republican favorite in his almost 10 years in office, and had received support from Gov. Rick Perry and many politicians in the Republican establishment, according to the Washington Post. 

Cruz lost to Dewhurst by 10 points in Texas' May 29 primary, but Cruz spent the time since then campaigning on a grassroots level.

He received the support of national conservative groups, like the anti-tax Club for Growth, which spent millions to help defeat Dewhurst, who they saw as too moderate.  

Read more of Neon Tommy's coverage of the Tea Party here.

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