Former U.S. Senate Candidate Tom Leppert Explains Endorsement of David Dewhurst [AUDIO]

On Thursday's edition of Lubbock's First News, Tom Leppert, former Dallas mayor and former candidate for U.S. Senate, talked with Chad Hasty and Rex Andrew about who he is now endorsing in the U.S. Senate race.

At the end of Tuesday night's debate between Lieutenant Governor David Dewhurst and Senate candidate Ted Cruz, Leppert made a surprise appearance and announced that he was endorsing Dewhurst in the race. Leppert explained that he chose Dewhurst over Cruz because he believes Dewhurst has the experience needed to deal with the economic issues affecting our country.

We need to have people that have actually been out there that have created jobs, that have cut spending, and understand...what the federal regulation needs and how it hurts creating jobs, that sort of thing. The Lieutenant Governor has been there. He has been a  successful businessman, he has created jobs, he's dealt with budgets on both the public and private side, and that's the perspective we need.

Leppert said that he understands that people, particularly the Tea Party, are frustrated by how things are being run in Washington. However, he warns that people need to base their decision on who has the most experience, not solely because they're frustrated. He said that the country cannot afford to send up candidates who make "pretty speeches," but do not have the experience to back it up.

When asked about an ad he ran during his campaign for Senate calling both Cruz and Dewhurst "empty suits," Leppert re-iterated the importance of selecting the best candidate for the job.