I like Cruz. I like him a lot and wouldn’t be afraid to have him at the helm of the country, but for the reasons you listed, primarily his associations, as much as I try, I just cannot seem to fully trust him. I’d love to see him as Donald’s VP. That said, not in a million years would I have ever thought I’d be wanting and trusting a guy from New York as my choice in candidates to save our nation from the multitude of attacks hell bent on destroying it. I genuinely believe Cruz loves this country and would do a good job, but I do not think he has enough years behind him to have the fortitude to stand up to those who want to manipulate him. After being a VP under Donald for one or two terms, he’d be ready to take the wheel and complete making America great again. Flame suit on, ready for incoming, but I think Donald more fully appreciates the dire situation the nation is in and genuinely wants to fix it, and that’s only because he’s had more life experience.
Ted Cruz made solemn promises to the conservative voters in Texas during his run for the U.S. Senate. He has honored his promises and done so much more to fight our political battles. Despite withering criticism and attacks from leadership in both the Republican and Democrat Party, Cruz was faithful to our conservative principles and didn't retreat from a fight in the vicious snake pit of corruption, backstabbing and betrayal that is Washington, DC. Contrast that with the complete betrayal of promises made to conservative and TEA Party voters in Florida of Marco Rubio by leading the Gang of Eight amnesty plot once elected to the Senate.
It's incredibly difficult to trust politicians today. Cruz is the first to say we shouldn't trust their words, including from him, but rather look at their actions once elected. Thus far, he hasn't given me serious cause to doubt his trustworthiness, integrity, or motives for serving in the U.S. Senate.
People like to characterize Donald Trump and Ben Carson as "outsiders", but they haven't proven their commitment to conservatism in the white-hot fires of Washington, DC. In my mind, these two men are outsiders in the sense they do not currently hold elective office. In contrast, Ted Cruz is a proven philosophical outsider to the Democrat/Republican Washington Cartel culture of self preservation and betrayal. A warrior in the lion's den is vastly more meaningful to me than one standing outside the cage cheering him on. Cruz has done this in the most difficult political circumstances imaginable, often in face-to-face encounters in his daily workplace with his most bitter adversaries.
On the topic of obligations to major contributors, there is ample evidence in Texas that Cruz has remained faithful to his principles and opposed major contributors for the public good. Because of his opposiiton to the U.S. Export-Import Bank, calling it "crony capitalism", Cruz has upset major contributors to his Senate campaign representing big businesses in Texas. Bear in mind, the Cruz presidential campaign has received more than 450,000 contributions from all over the nation. The average of the contributions is $73. I know from personal experience in prior fundraising for Cruz, he feels beholden to every small contributor and the faith they have placed in him.
I've followed Ted's career very closely for 12 years since his days as Solicitor General of Texas, having read and listened to most of his writings and speeches to the present day. I trust Ted more than any person I've voted for in the past forty years. I even include Ronald Reagan in the mix, but only because I never had any personal contact with that great man. I've had the good fortune to be around Ted in a friendly group setting out of view of the media on a few occasions and he is the same honorable, Christian man that you see in public. He has my vote and commitment of time and money.
Please don't ask me to trust candidates who began championing conservative ideals only a short five months ago with the same fervor of trust I've held in Ted Cruz for many years. In fact, don't expect me to trust these other "outsiders" at all because they haven't earned it in my opinion.
That just about sums up every Trump supporter.....and further extraopolates why Trump has become the most trusted man in America.
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Assuming all of the Cruz supporters are correct, that he's a decent, honorable person who loves America. In today's perilous times, that is not enough by half.
What is sorely missing from the Cruz persona is the ability to think in multiple dimensions....to fast-forward......to factor in all of the variables.
FOR INSTANCE Cruz once considered USSC Justice John Roberts a mentor, but became disenchanted w/ Roberts opinions.
Also mystifying, Cruz did a disappearing act when it came time to put his money where his mouth is ....to vote against Obama's hand-picked AG Loretta Lynch.
But its all of a piece.....it amplifies Cruz's vote to fast-track TPP (Obama's legacy) and his aye vote on the Corker bill (the left saving Obamas *** on the Iran nuclear deal).