After upsetting Crenshaw, Toth says GOP voters want Republicans who ‘act like one’

“This was a defeat that was a long time in the making,” Toth said in an interview with the Washington Examiner at CPAC. “It sends a very clear message that if you’re going to run as a Republican, you have to go to Washington, D.C., and act like a Republican.” 

Toth’s upset win over Crenshaw, a four-term incumbent once seen as a rising GOP figure, came despite the absence of a key factor that has defined many Republican primaries: an endorsement from President Donald Trump. Trump declined to back either candidate in the race, leaving Crenshaw without the support that has buoyed many incumbents.

Instead, Toth received a late boost from Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX), who endorsed him in the final stretch of the campaign. Toth said the backing helped consolidate support among conservative voters heading into election day.

The result underscored growing frustration among GOP primary voters with Republicans