WATCH: Ted Cruz supports free speech for students

Over the weekend, Campus Reform Reporter Alexa Schwerha spoke with Texas Senator Ted Cruz in Tampa, Florida to discuss free speech on college campuses.

He argued that Democrats have abandoned their support for free speech. 

“Today’s Democrat party doesn’t believe you or I or anyone else has a right to speak,” the Senator said.

[RELATED: WATCH: ‘Our right to express ourselves is fundamental,’ lawmaker argues]

Cruz called on lawmakers in red states to pass free speech codes “to protect the rights of free speech of students in state universities.” 

Responding to the question of why students are afraid to speak their beliefs on campus, Cruz said “I think the atmosphere on campuses is stifling and university administrators, they target, they punish… they do everything they can to create a culture of fear.”

[RELATED: STUDY: 98% of MI students attend a university that does not respect free speech]

Cruz finished by encouraging conservative students to be “a happy warrior.”

“Use your voice, but don’t emulate the left. Don’t be angry, don’t be shrill,” he advised.

“There’s few things more disarming than just being a joyful, happy warrior because what we care about is freedom. Freedom is contagious, and people can see that and people want to be free.”

Watch the full video above.

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