Ted Cruz stumps for Gov. Kevin Stitt as Oklahoma nears Election Day

A week out from Election Day, Gov. Kevin Stitt got help from a national GOP figure in making the case for why he should be reelected to a second term.

With the promise that a "red tsunami" is coming in the midterm elections, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, of Texas, rallied about 400 Stitt supporters at an Oklahoma City church on Tuesday.

More:Gov. Kevin Stitt isn't here to make friends, but he's asking for your vote

At times, Cruz's 35-minute speech to fire up local Republicans closely resembled a stand-up comedy routine as he mocked the Democratic president, vice president and congressional leaders. He also criticized Stitt's opponent, Democrat Joy Hofmeister, who is the state schools superintendent.

"Oklahoma is blessed to have a remarkable man, a patriot and a lover of liberty as your governor," Cruz said of Stitt. "If you look at the socialist assault in Washington, understand there is nothing they would like more than to take bright red Oklahoma and flip it Democrat."

Calling Stitt a warrior for education freedom, Cruz praised him for fighting for greater school choice options. He also accused Hofmeister of fearmongering by saying plans to expand school vouchers would "kill" rural schools.

He also accused Hofmeister of closing schools during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Although Stitt and Hofmeister agreed on public school closures at the start of the pandemic, the governor later became a critic of districts that stuck to virtual learning. Hofmeister, who criticized Stitt for not taking steps to reduce the spread of COVID, said the Oklahoma State Department of Education, which she leads, followed the science in establishing benchmarks for when schools should return to in-person learning.

Cruz also lit into Hofmeister for switching political parties to run for governor. The former lifelong Republican became a Democrat last year.

"Who in their right mind sees the insanity that's happening in Washington, sees Joe Biden selling America down the river and says, 'that's what I want to be with?'" Cruz said. A political moderate, Hofmeister has tried to distance herself from the Democratic president as Stitt's campaign and the Republican Governors Association have tried to link the two politicians.

More:How dyslexia, car rides with dad, and a mugshot shaped Joy Hofmeister

Hofmeister painted a stark contrast between how she and Stitt were spending their final days on the campaign trail.

"While Stitt clings to out-of-state politicians to draw apathetic crowds, we're finishing this campaign like we started it — talking to Oklahomans in their hometowns," she tweeted.

The former presidential candidate and a slate of local Republicans electrified the crowd of GOP voters who waved signs proclaiming "Keep America Red." Cheers rang through Crossroads Church as Ryan Walters, the Republican nominee for state schools superintendent, invoked former President Donald Trump's campaign slogan to "Keep America Great Again."

Cruz said he came to support Stitt as part of a 17-state tour to galvanize Republican voters before the midterms. He also said millions of dollars in dark money spending against Stitt is clouding what should be a simple choice for governor.

Within miles of the rally, a billboard proclaimed Stitt as "America's most corrupt governor." The anti-Stitt political action committee that paid for the billboard and sent out mailers with similar messaging is entirely funded by a dark money group that doesn't have to report its donors.

Stitt has accused dark money groups, also known as social welfare organizations, of sowing lies and chaos this election cycle. Although there don't appear to be any dark money groups attacking Hofmeister, she has accused the governor's campaign of airing television commercials that lie about her stances on oil and natural gas taxes and sanctuary cities.

At the rally, Stitt stood beside his wife, first lady Sarah Stitt, as he ran through a list of accomplishments from his first term. He touted the state's economy, record state savings, increased education funding and pay raises for law enforcement officers.

More:Ready to vote in Oklahoma? Here's a guide to candidates, races before you cast your ballot

"We're going to win this next Tuesday," Stitt said. "We're going to show the liberal Biden administration that Oklahoma believes in traditional family values, smaller government, lower taxes, less regulation. Let's continue to make Oklahoma the state we know it can be."

As Stitt has come under fire for trying to shake up the Oklahoma Veterans Commission, the governor's campaign unveiled Tuesday endorsements from 58 Oklahoma veterans, including his current and former Cabinet secretaries on veterans and military affairs.

The former head of the Oklahoma Army and Air National Guard, whom Stitt seemingly replaced because they had differing opinions on COVID vaccine mandates for members of the military, endorsed Hofmeister this week.

Nathan Lightfoot, 67, attended the rally with his brother. Both voted for far-right Republican Mark Sherwood in the GOP gubernatorial primary but plan to vote for Stitt in the general election.

Lightfoot, of Oklahoma City, said he doesn't trust Hofmeister after her party switch. He also expressed concerns that she supports teaching children critical race theory. Stitt signed legislation that many refer to as a ban on critical race theory because it prevents teachers from making students feel discomfort or guilt based on their race or gender.

"I would rather have Governor Stitt than Joy Hofmeister," he said.

Citing concerns about socialism and communism, Donna Kearns, 70, said she left the Democratic Party over the summer and joined the GOP.

Before the rally, she praised Stitt for signing legislation that allowed Oklahomans over the age of 21 to carry a gun without a permit or training as one of his first acts in office. The Guthrie resident and longtime psychology professor at the University of Central Oklahoma also said she supports the governor's stance on school choice.

"I'm a teacher," she said. "Teachers are pretty supportive of Joy Hofmeister. I'm not. I really think parents need choice in education, and that's not going to close down country schools. If you've got a good school and you want to stay there, stay there."

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Ted Cruz rallies hundreds of Oklahomans in support of Gov. Kevin Stitt