Posted on 08/13/2013 11:52:43 PM PDT by iowamark
The Republican Party is desperately in need of a leader who can bring the party together and excite the base. Early signs indicate that Texas Senator Ted Cruz might be that man.
There was a palpable excitement inside Stephens Auditorium in Ames before Cruz hit the stage.
“That was the first political speech to get me excited in a very long time,” said Dane Nealson, the chair of the Story County GOP who worked on the presidential campaigns for Tim Pawlenty and Rick Perry. “He’s the best shot I’ve seen so far to unite the factions.”
The Family Leader CEO Bob Vander Plaats, who endorsed Rick Santorum in the 2012 Iowa Caucus, gave a decidedly more enthusiastic introduction for Senator Cruz than he did for Santorum.
“Cruz is a phenomenon that I haven’t seen the like of in a long time, probably ever,” Vander Plaats told TheIowaRepublican.com.
The Texas senator did not disappoint. He scored quickly with a joke about the origin of the word “politics”, noting that “poli” means many, and “tics” means blood sucking parasites. From there, the first term senator from Texas served enough conservative red meat to feed the 1,000 Iowa conservatives in attendance, and leave them asking for seconds.
Much of Ted Cruz’ allure is his willingness to stand up for conservative principles. He is leading a charge in the U.S. senate to defund Obamacare. When he mentioned that during his speech, Cruz received an extended standing ovation. The same thing happened when he said we should abolish the IRS. These are not new lines that are exclusive to Ted Cruz. The difference is, when he says them, you actually believe he will fight for those stances.
Audiences also admire a speaker who can deliver off-the-cuff remarks, something Cruz excels at.
“Vice-president Joe Biden,” Cruz said, pausing as the audience chuckled. “You know, the nice thing is, you don’t even need a punchline,” he added as the chuckles grew to roaring laughter.
Smartly name-dropping and praising popular Iowa officials like Steve King and Chuck Grassley, and collecting data from attendees by having them sign-up to receive texts, Cruz is smartly laying the groundwork for a possible 2016 campaign.
Popular with libertarians, social conservatives and making waves with mainstream Republicans, Ted Cruz is exciting Iowa Caucus goers in ways that few candidates ever have. Although he’s a first-term U.S. senator, Cruz’ accomplishments as solicitor general of Texas adds some hefty and impressive experience to his resume.
During his introduction for Cruz, Bob Vander Plaats reeled off a line of impressive cases and conservative causes Ted Cruz fought for as solicitor general, including keeping the words “under God” in the Pledge of Allegiance.
Following his speech, Cruz spent extensive time chatting with attendees, posing for pictures and answering questions from the media. The hottest rising star in politics remains extremely approachable and that will endear him to presidential voters.
Cruz followed up a very impressive appearance at a pastors’ conference in Ames last month we a home run speech at the Family Leadership Summit. He is hitting all the right notes and taking the steps necessary to build a strong presidential campaign.
We are two and a half years away from the 2016 Iowa Caucuses, but we already have a frontrunner in the race. His name is Ted Cruz.
Well, that’s because we’re so racist. We could be even more racist if Allen West starts a move.
My wife and I are buying Cruz 2016 bumper stickers for our vehicles this week. Bob
Oh, don’t do that - the purists on this site will eat your lunch. According to them - Cruz isn’t qualified to be president because he isn’t a “natural born citizen.”
I’m kidding of course, however, I’m not kidding about the purists on this site who eat everyone’s lunch.
Not a Fox
Tonight Butthammer gushed over all but Cruz ....nary a peep
They foist another moderate and they’ll lose yet again
That’s OK. I can afford to buy all the purist’s lunches, as I am now basking in yet another Obama “summer of recovery”. Bob
Why can’t we find ONE CONSERVATIVE that was BORN IN THE U.S.A.???? Hmmm? Just one.
I’m not going to eat anyone’s lunch, but I do disclaim the “purist” title and claim the “Constitutionalist” title. It’s not being a purist to follow the Constitution.
LOL. You’re safe with me. I’ve got my own lunch!
My wife and I are buying Cruz 2016 bumper stickers for our vehicles this week. Bob
In other words, you think that you are just as much above the rule of law as the Democrats and RINOs who disregard it and/or hold it in contempt. Since you are so eager to forfeit the right of more than two hundred milloin natural born citizens to be represented by one of their own, you will understand how they may wish to see you forfeit your right to vote or hold a public office of trust or profit where you could abuse your authority and take away their natural born rights.
Cruz would have my vote today if he ran. Unless someone unexpected steps up, I see no one else with the credibility, skills and principles to lead this party.
This citizenship discussion is a joke. Unless someone can point to a document showing Cruz’s naturalization at a later point in life, he is a natural born American citizen. Born to an American mother and American from the moment he was born.
The real joke is your intentional ignorance amd dishonesty. You have not the least clue of what the term, “natural born”, means.
The father of Ted Cruz was a citizen of Cuba, and Ted Cruz was born in Canada with Canadian citizenship. No person can be born with natural born U.S. citizenship and bebe born at the same time with foreign citizenship as well. Such a situation is the exact opposite of natural born citizenship.
He has fired me up since I first heard him speak!
fox is liberal... kraut is a democrat... born and raised... worked for mondale and carter... attacked Reagan... it is nothing more than WWE wrestling for politics.
You are right on all accounts .
Fox leftist news staff donated overwhelming to Obama and Dems in the last decade !
That phony Kraut is a Clinton Dem who worked for Mondale and his 1984 campaign !
He is a con artist who sometimes pretends to be conservative because all of DC is hard left so the vacancies for pundits is on the right .
Go Cruz.
The while citizen scan is the concerned troll AstroTurf !
How about Johnny Maverick McCain? Oops, I guess not.
Oh you JOKER!!!
No, it isn’t being purist to follow the Constitution, however, the term “natural born citizen” is debatable. I seriously doubt that Ted Cruz is a threat to America, unlike the usurper now occupying 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.
Do tell, Mr. Know-it-all!
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