US Senate committee rebukes Trump for proposed Muslim ban

The US Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday voted 16-4 for a non-binding resolution that affirmed that barring individuals from entering the United States based on religion would be un-American. 

The committee's vote is a rebuke to Donald Trump,  the Republican presidential front-runner who is calling for blocking Muslims from entering the country.

Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz and three other republican senators voted against.

"It is the sense of the Senate that the United States must not bar individuals from entering into the United States based on their religion, as such action would be contrary to the fundamental principles on which this Nation was founded," reads the resolutions.

Cruz was not present at the Senate and voted by proxy, without an explanation of his position towards the resolution.

Praising Trump

Observers believe that Ted Cruz, a first term senate member, is an ideological purist who holds views more extreme than Trump's

The Texas senator is a peculiar case among the Republican presidential candidates who all jumped at the chance to attack Donald Trump's proposal to ban Muslim entry into the US, however Cruz passed the opportunity.

His only response was that he "disagreed" with Trump's proposal and went on to praise the billionaire presidential candidate for focusing the debate on immigration, which Cruz holds very strong views about.

Observers believe that Ted Cruz, a first term senate member, is an ideological purist who holds views more extreme than Trump's, however he is a shrewd political operator who know how to push his agenda.

This is why he has refrained from attacking Trump and even praised him on multiple occasions, as he is positioning himself to be the natural next choice for Trump supporters once Trump fails to secure the Republican nomination.

However, this type of political opportunism is not without its serious dangers, and Cruz has already come under a barrage of criticism.

One political observer wrote in the Washington Post: "There is no GOP candidate who has fawned more effusively over Donald Trump than Sen. Ted Cruz".

"His blatant attempt to placate and then inherit Trump's voters spurs him to avoid confrontation with the real estate mogul at all costs and shower him with cringe-worthy praise," added the observer.

While another political commentator wrote: "There are only two deadly conclusions voters can reach: either Cruz really does agree with Trump and is afraid to say so, or he disagrees, and is too afraid of Trump to explain why."

Yet, despite the criticism, Cruz has secured the endorsement of Bob Vander Plaats on Thursday, a very influential Christian conservative leader in Iowa, edging him closer to winning the Republican nomination.