In Texas, Ted Cruz's victory party served as a prelude to a Trump victory

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TThe Christmas tree and decorations upon entering the Marriott Marquis in downtown Houston seemed to suggest that Santa Claus would deliver an early gift to Republicans.

Senator Ted Cruz parked his campaign bus out front. Alongside the countless signatures written in white marker was the slogan: “Keep Texas, Texas,” as if to sell the idea that outsiders are trying to change the uniquely conservative culture with their vigilance and liberalism.

But while the first floor of the hotel was a winter wonderland, the second floor of the hotel, where Cruz held his celebration, might as well have been called Cruz's conservative cabal. Even before news outlets called the race for Cruz, attendees celebrated over drinks every time a state was called for Donald Trump.

At one point, campaign workers began throwing T-shirts into the audience. All of this seemed to be a precursor to Trump taking charge in many of the battleground districts.

To be fair, this is Texas, where no Democrat has won a statewide election since 1994. The country has not elected a Democrat president since 1976, when Jimmy Carter won the state.

Still, six years ago, Cruz found himself in a surprisingly tough fight against Beto O'Rourke in his first re-election race since his failed presidential bid. During that primary, Trump called Curz's wife ugly and claimed his father was linked to the assassination of President John F. Kennedy.

But polling results across the state showed that wouldn't be the case in his match against Colin Allred, the former NFL linebacker who failed to tackle Cruz.

In a sign of the Trump-I-fication of the Republican Party, much of the party playlist included some of Trump's favorites — “Gloria” by Laura Branigan and “YMCA” by The Village People.

Ironically, shortly after Fox News called his race, the party launched “Takin' Care of Business” by Bachman-Turner Overdrive, who, like Cruz, was originally from Canada. Later, the party hit “Summer of '69” by Bryan Adams and “Rockin' in the Free World” by Neil Young, also from the Great White North. How does anyone keep Texas Texas when Canadians keep hanging out in the Lone Star State?

And in the spirit of his fiscal conservatism, the bar wasn't open to reporters, instead requiring them to pay for a $7 Coca-Cola.

As of Tuesday night, with 85 percent of precincts reporting, Cruz appeared to be on track for a double-digit victory, more respectable for a Texas Republican. Consequently, he moved on to Survivor's “Eye of the Tiger.” Cruz, the son of a pastor, gave the best possible invocation.

“To God be the glory,” he said, before thanking his wife Heidi, who had insulted Trump.

“It also looks very likely that we will have a Republican Senate next year,” he said to more applause before offering the icing on the cake. “And I believe and I hope and pray that Donald Trump will be re-elected as president of the United States.”

When his supporters chanted “Build the wall,” he simply replied, “We will.”

Indeed, Cruz's victory served as a microcosm for what he noted was the larger Republican slump across the country, particularly among non-white voters.

“Tonight we are seeing incredible results, particularly among Hispanics across the state of Texas,” he said to applause. “And we are witnessing a generational shift in South Texas tonight.”

A Cruz victory was built on moves by Trump that he knew would confuse Democrats, who had long believed that Latinos were turned off by Republicans' restrictive rhetoric on immigration.

“Tonight’s results, this decisive victory, should shake the Democratic establishment to its core,” he said.

Cruz has always enjoyed antagonizing not only the Democrats but also the Republican establishment. He also seems to particularly enjoy the fact that, as a senator from Texas, he keeps winning despite the scorn of liberals.

And now not only does he have an even larger margin of victory that he can use to stay in the eyes of Democrats and the Republican establishment; He earned it, despite rushing to Cancun during a Texas storm in 2021 and regularly spending as much time on his podcast as he did on legislation.

Currently, broadcasters are hesitant to make a definitive statement that Trump won. But like the Mexican restaurant at the Marriott that chose to play college football over election results, it offered a nice taste of a conservative celebration that would include a possible return to the White House and a GOP majority.

Democrats sincerely hoped they could unseat Cruz. But this massive loss and possible expulsion from the White House will likely give them something grosser than three-day-old brisket to chew on.