Cruz opens double-digit lead in Texas primary runoff

The Hill ^ | 07/30/12 08:05 AM ET | Justin Sink

[BradtotheBone]

Republican Senate hopeful Ted Cruz has opened up a double-digit lead in his Texas primary showdown with Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst.

Cruz, a Tea Party favorite, leads Dewhurst 52-42 percent, according to a survey released Monday by Public Policy Polling (PPP). Cruz has doubled his lead from a similar poll two weeks ago.

Coupled with high-profile endorsements by prominent Republicans including former Gov. Sarah Palin (Alaska), former Sen. Rick Santorum (Pa.) and Sen. Jim DeMint (S.C.), Cruz is now poised to win election to the U.S. Senate despite never having run for political office before.

"Cruz's victory is driven by four things: the Tea Party, the enthusiasm of his supporters, a generational divide within the Texas Republican ranks and the lack of regard the party base currently holds for Rick Perry," said PPP polling director Tom Jensen in a statement.

Cruz takes three-quarters of self-described Tea Party voters in the poll, and leads 55-40 percent among those who have cast ballots already during early voting. Nearly two out of three voters who describe themselves as "very excited" about voting in the runoff say they back the Tea Party favorite.

It's a sign that Dewhurst might have been targeting the wrong audience. While he holds a significant lead among seniors (56-39 percent), older Texans are more likely to be "not that excited" about voting. Meanwhile, Cruz is posting huge leads among younger voters, including a 60-33 percent advantage among those under 45 years of age.

Cruz is also undeniably buoyed by the support of prominent Republican backers. By a 31-24 percent margin, voters surveyed said they were more likely to vote for a candidate backed by Palin, who rallied with Cruz on Friday.

[presently no screen name]

Woo-Hoo Go CRUZ! Make it a landslide victory!

[tennmountainman]

I wonder where all the paid Dewpiss hacks on this site have gone. Did Dewpiss’s Campaign lay them off? They are nowhere
to be found. Quite frankly, they are not missed anyway.

GOOOOoooooooooooooo Cruz!

[pogo101]

Be sure you vote, Texans! “Don’t get cocky”! Go Ted!

[hadaclueonce]

Get out the butter, Dewhurst is toast.

I am still trying to figure out that Tanya Harding look alike
AD that the super PAC is running.

[Jewbacca]

Dewhurst strikes me as very dishonest just from his own ads.

[Baynative]

While I get going in the morning I tune into the Michael Berry Show on KTRL on line. He shreds Dewhurst on a regular basis. My wife and I have become interested in this race as a result. We don’t have much, but we sent some to Cruz.

[agere_contra]

By a 31-24 percent margin, voters surveyed said they were more likely to vote for a candidate backed by Palin, who rallied with Cruz on Friday.

Not bad. I wonder if Dick Cheney's read this.

[tennmountainman]

You will glad you made a contribution come later tomorrow night. Go Cruz!

[Jane Long]

I pray you are right about Dewhissy being toast!

I am still trying to figure out that Tanya Harding look alike AD that the super PAC is running.

Is she astroturf? If you find out, please let us know!!

[tennmountainman]

I guess Dick Cheney has a hard time seeing all the “experience” he, Bush and Rove brought to the administration
got his administration one of the lowest approval ratings
in American History.
That same “experience” gave us Obama.
All that “experience” did now work out very well Dick.

[pogo101]

There have been both gentlemanly pro-Dewhurst folks and ... non-gentlemanly. I agree though that I have seen fewer and fewer Dewhurst comments here lately, as Dewhurst slips in the polls.

But Cruz folks mustn’t think it’s in the bag, yet. Vote! :)

[WhyisaTexasgirlinPA]

I haven’t seen that one! I”m very hopeful about Cruz - and was so thrilled our local elections resulted in the Sheriff we were supporting. It has been a good year so far.....

[tennmountainman]

No doubt, conservatives must vote to make it happen.

I guess most of the paid Dewpiss workers who posted here
must have gotten laid off by the campaign.

[txrefugee]

Desperate David Dewhurst was at a Chick-Fil-A in Austin this morning, two days after Sara and Todd Palin ate at a CFA in the Woodlands after a Ted Cruz rally. It wouldn’t surprise me if Dewhurst isn’t trying to get Democrats to vote for him in the Republican runoff tomorrow. His awful ads proves he will stoop to the lowest level to win.

[TexasFreeper2009]

yep, Dewhurst sunk himself with those stupid ads trying to link every case Cruz's law firm ever took to Cruz as if we were too stupid to figure out the truth.

I honestly didn't have strong feelings about this race at the start but have turned strongly against Dewhurst after listening to his lying ads over and over insult my intelligence.

GO CRUZ!

[Republican Wildcat]

Very good news - I doubt Cruz would have any trouble winning in the general. If we can make sure Mourdock holds on to the seat in Indiana (quite a shift from Lugar), Fischer in NE, and in other places we will be getting a better crop of Republicans that will not simply follow Romney’s lead because he is another Republican in the WH and will stand firm on principle (constructively...not just being pests for the sake of being so...)...we need to move Romney, not the other way around. Romney is the vessell to get Obama out...but we cannot in the least consider him to be reliable given his past record.

[Rightwingacademic]

We voted early for Cruz and are keeping our fingers crossed!

[Texas Fossil]

Bump! Same here.

[Charles Martel]

I wonder if Dick Cheney's read this.

If he hasn't, I'll bet his daughter will bring it to his attention before the day is out.