Presidential candidate and Texas Senator Ted Cruz deflected a reporter’s gotcha questions, showing himself to be a skilled verbal pugilist as interpreted by Los Angeles street artist Sabo in his famous poster.

On Tuesday, the junior US senator from Texas was visiting Beaumont to meet privately with county officials when reporters came at him with questions about same sex marriage. After fielding several questions on that topic, Cruz deftly turned the tables on the reporters:

“Is there something about the left — and I am going to put the media in this category — that is obsessed with sex? ISIS is executing homosexuals — you want to talk about gay rights? This week was a very bad week for gay rights because the expansion of ISIS, the expansion of radical, theocratic, Islamic zealots that crucify Christians, that behead children and that murder homosexuals — that ought to be concerning you far more than asking six questions all on the same topic.”

The following day, a writer for New York Magazine sniffed her disdain at Cruz’s answers, claiming that his use of the word ‘sex’ is “apparently how he views Americans in loving relationships being denied the right to marry.” Citing a Gallup poll released Tuesday which finds that 60 percent of Americans support same-sex marriage, the writer continued that “it looks like he’s underestimating the number of Americans who are “obsessed” with sex and/or equality.”

No doubt the nation is becoming more accepting of same-sex marriage, but I don’t think most Americans spend their waking hours fretting about it. They are more concerned with economics, unemployment, race relations, and our weakening position in the world. And yes, they worry about terrorism and the rapid expansion of ISIS.

Moreover, they want a strong president who can guide the ship of state with a firm hand on a steady course. Whether Americans choose Ted Cruz as that president has yet to be seen, but in these early days of the 2016 Presidential campaign, we are seeing him emerge as Reagan did, a leader with a vision for America, unafraid to take on opposition.

I can’t wait for the Republican debates. Bring them on!