>> First of all, with respect to “double digits”, you’re behind the times, because there was a recent “hypothetical matchup” poll which showed a neck-and-neck race between Trump and Hillary. <<
Trump people are always claiming there’s some poll out there. I just doublechecked RealClearPolitics. Last polls shows Cruz and Clinton within the margin of error, but Clinton beating Trump by 10 (CBS) and 7 (Fox) points.
>> But that’s beside the point, because all such “push polls”, 7 months out, before the conventions, no matter who is “ahead”, are total garbage, and they are known to be ball everyone in the industry. <<
Oh, the great conspiracy that every poll is a Democratic push poll. Yes, it’s a dynamic race, and yes, everyone knows that. But they certainly show that Trump is presently far more unpopular than Cruz.
You know what? I would never say vote for the guy that does best in the polls. Vote for the most conservative plausibly electable candidate. But I’m answering a thread asking how can I vote for Cruz when Trump is more popular. And Cruz is the one who is more conservative.
>> They are “boob bait for bubbas”. The same polls back in 1980 had Reagan 25 points behind Carter at this juncture. <<
Earlier in the cycle. And they weren’t lying then, either. Before the days of the internet and the 24-hour news cycle, Reagan was mostly known for crashing the 1976 coronation of Gerald Ford. He was written off by people who had never heard him speak as a befuddled actor. He proved them wrong when they first heard him speak in the general election against Carter.
Also, the 1980-1982 recession hadn’t really started; Carter hadn’t shown how incompetent he was dealing with Iran; his “malaise” speech was still unwritten; and Kennedy hadn’t eviscerated him from the left. His approval rating was rallying at the start of 1980, and was approaching 60%.
By April, Reagan had already pulled to within 7 percent of Carter... and that was with Anderson pulling 19% of the vote, mostly from moderates.
OK, so you just made my point. You don't think someone can make up 7-10 points in 7 months???
And, you don't think someone can LOSE 7-10 points in 7 months?
You Cruz fanboys are running out of ammo, and all you've been able to do, for weeks, is spout Establishment/Media/GOPe propaganda in an effort to prop up your failed candidate.
That ship has sailed, and it's time to wake up...