Ted Cruz, conservative hybrid

www.washingtonpost.com ^ | 07/31/2012 | Sean Sullivan

[Syncro]

Ted Cruz, conservative hybrid

Posted by Sean Sullivan at 03:47 PM ET, 07/31/2012

If Ted Cruz wins the Texas Senate primary, he will have defeated a Republican with deep ties to the establishment and millions of dollars of personal wealth by running a campaign arguing that he is the most conservative candidate in the race.

Cruz has been lauded by the likes of George Will, Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) and the Club For Growth, all at once. And he’s often compared to Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.). But where does Cruz fit in the conservative universe, which contains its own complex subdivisions and separate wings?

The truth is that he is something of a hybrid.

Let’s start with the two members of the current Senate to which Cruz is most often compared: Rubio and DeMint. He’s been likened to the former because of his biography. Like Rubio, Cruz’s father is Cuban, and fled Cuba for a better life in the United States.

The circumstances of Cruz’s campaign are comparable to Rubio’s 2010 effort. When he announced his bid in January of 2011, most observers viewed Cruz as merely an eventual also-ran against Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, who was regarded as an overwhelming early favorite to win retiring Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison’s seat. Similarly, Rubio was once believed to be merely a bump on Charlie Crist’s road to the Senate.

But Cruz is not exactly like Rubio. Unlike Cruz, who aside from his tenure as Texas Solicitor General (basically the state’s lawyer) has spent most of his time in the private sector, Rubio toiled in the trenches of state government for years and cultivated relationships that have prepared him for the Senate.

So...what about DeMint?

[Syncro]

From the title, it looks like a hit piece, but actually is a good writeup

[a fool in paradise]

I am enjoying that Clintonista Bill White (who was a former Houston mayor and loser in the governor’s race) will not be in the running to take this Senate seat.

[Carry_Okie]

Like Rubio, who has been very careful who he buddies around with in Congress (in 2011, Rubio refused to get pigeonholed on the ideological right when he opted against joining the tea party caucus), Cruz will also have to choose his friends wisely if he wants to have any designs on advancing beyond the Senate in his career.

So, WaPo is telling him which clubs not to join, not realizing that it is not Cruz who won this race but the Tea Party that elected him.

I'm liking this process of "primarying" entrenched RINOs and the Party anointed. I sure wish Hatch had lost.

[ontap]

I'm liking this process of "primarying" entrenched RINOs

Damn right these fence sitting go alongers are having there little thiefdoms threatened...I'm afraid they are going to have to chose a side.

[stephenjohnbanker]

” Rubio, who has been very careful who he buddies around with in Congress (in 2011, Rubio refused to get pigeonholed on the ideological right when he opted against joining the tea party caucus)”

Rubio is an anti-tea party, Dream Act fraud.

[Syncro]

Hopefully whoever the dems run is of his caliber, and Cruz will beat whoever it is handily.

We have to keep in the front lines, the dems, what with voter fraud (which the GOP won't fight against grrrrr) and a cadre of illegal alien criminal invading colonizers they have voting, we have to be on our toes.

[Syncro]

So, WaPo is telling him which clubs not to join, not realizing that it is not Cruz who won this race but the Tea Party that elected him.

I'm liking this process of "primarying" entrenched RINOs and the Party anointed. I sure wish Hatch had lost.

Oh yea primarying RINO's is what's happening at this time, thank goodness.

Rubio jumped the shark, and so did West with his "justice for Travonn" comment.

From the article:

But Cruz is not exactly like Rubio. Unlike Cruz, who aside from his tenure as Texas Solicitor General (basically the state’s lawyer) has spent most of his time in the private sector, Rubio toiled in the trenches of state government for years and cultivated relationships that have prepared him for the Senate.

Most of his time in the private sector, now that's a GOOD thing.

Now, "cultivated relationships that have prepared him for the Senate" seems to mean that Rubio can be counted on to go all GOP-e on the people.

Too bad, he could have been a contender.

Hey, the tea party gets you elected, then you look for the closest bus to throw them under.

Tire tracks on their backs don't even slow down the TPM people, but we sure take notice!

[spel_grammer_an_punct_polise]

“Rubio is an anti-tea party, Dream Act fraud.”

In other words, a GOP-e RINO. :-)

[Syncro]

Yup on Rubio. It didn't take long for his True Colors to show through, kinda like Scott Brown.

I think he wants to fit in with the old guard. Too bad, they are an endangered species

[Borax Queen]

BTTT, couldn’t have said it better. My disdain for him could not be greater. ESPECIALLY as someone who experienced/knows about Communism so close-at-hand, I expected so much better from him.