Ted Cruz criticized for offering prayers after Texas mall shooting.

Texas Senator Ted Cruz has faced backlash for offering thoughts and prayers after a shooting at a shopping mall in his state left eight people dead. Critics have called on the Republican to advocate for meaningful gun control rather than repeatedly invoking prayer after mass shootings. Cruz has received over $442,000 from organizations that support keeping guns accessible. Texas Governor Greg Abbott also sought to redirect the conversation to mental health, despite a Fox News poll revealing that 80% of participants supported gun control measures.