Ted Cruz has been labelled “creepy” after complaining that Saturday Night Live comedian Pete Davidson “gets all of these, like, hot women”.
The Texas senator discussed Mr Davidson’s dating history on a recent episode of his podcast, Verdict with Ted Cruz.
The discussion was sparked when co-host Michael Knowles read out a listener question about so-called “toxic femininity”.
The question read: “The Women’s March was this weekend. We are seeing women like Amber Heard, Jada Pinkett Smith, Meghan Markle, Kim Kardashian – is it time we start talking about toxic femininity?”
Mr Cruz replied: “Pete Davidson, all right, how come that dude gets all of these, like, hot women?”
Mr Knowles then laughs as he said that it was due to “toxic femininity”.
“That is the evidence that something has gone wrong.”
Mr Cruz continued: “Pete Davidson was dating Kate Beckinsale. I mean, you’re talking Underworld. You’re talking, like, superhot vampire in black leather trench coat. And you’re like, really? The SNL dude? Like, wow.”
Mr Davidson dated the British actress briefly in 2019, and has reportedly been in a relationship with Ms Kardashian since October 2021.
Discussing Mr Cruz’s comments on The View on Monday, several hosts said the remarks were disrespectful to his wife Heidi and two young daughters.
“I’m just gonna say Heidi Cruz, this is two, OK?” Whoopi Goldberg said, likely referring to Mr Cruz’s support of Donald Trump after he made mysoginistic remarks about her during the 2016 presidential campaign.
Political commentator and guest co-host Ana Navarro said watching the clip have her “the heebie jeebies”.
“Can I just tell you, it is so creepy and so disgusting,” Ms Navarro said.
“I want to know how come that dude is a US senator and is doing a podcast and spends so much time trolling on Twitter? I mean, does he think that he’s gonna lead by being a social media influencer?”
Co-host Sara Haines pointed out that Mr Davidson had come to Ms Kardashian’s aid when she was being criticised by her ex-husband Kanye West.
And Joy Behar said there was another explanation why Mr Davidson was popular with women.
“The reason that women like Pete Davidson, is because he is funny. He’s funny. Ted Cruz, you’re funny because people laugh at you. Pete Davidson, people are laughing with him.”
