Posted on 04/03/2015 12:57:54 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
In countless interviews last week, I told members of the media that the conservative Cruz was a natural fit with Iowa’s Republican caucus goers. Cruz’s brand of politics has not make him a lot of friends inside the beltway, but it has made him a hero to many conservative Republican activists. As Cruz traveled across Iowa on Wednesday and Thursday, large enthusiastic crowds greeted him. And Cruz didn’t disappoint those who came out to see him. He was on top of his game.
The rollout of Cruz’s presidential campaign couldn’t have gone any better. Sure, he has long been considered a potential 2016 presidential candidate, but nobody really expected him to formally enter the race when he did. Cruz dominated the headlines for the past week. All the attention has helped him raise money, move up in the polls, and turn out large crowds everywhere he went in Iowa.
The Cruz campaign announced it raised an impressive $4 million during the first week of the campaign. That is almost double what Rick Santorum raised in all of 2011 in advance of the 2012 Iowa Caucuses, which he won. Mike Huckabee won the 2008 caucuses, and he raised a total of $9 million in all of 2007. Cruz’s $4 million haul is very impressive and puts considerable pressure on Santorum, Huckabee, and any other conservative candidate looking to get in the 2016 race.
Before catching up to Cruz in Cedar Falls on Thursday morning, I read George Will’s latest column entitled, “Cruz is aiming at the wrong Republicans.” As always, Will’s columns are informative and interesting. Will argues, “there is no need to nominate Cruz in order to make the GOP conservative.” Will is making the point that by nominating Barry Goldwater in 1964, conservatives knew they wouldn’t win, but instead were sowing the seeds for Reagan some sixteen years later. He concludes this is an unnecessary exercise in today’s GOP.
I think most conservative activists would disagree.
Will is making the argument that Republicans need to nominate a candidate who can expand the electoral map, and in his opinion, Cruz isn’t the guy to do that. He may be right, but Will’s perception of Cruz – that his campaign is solely focused on turning out conservative and evangelical voters who stayed home in recent elections – isn’t necessarily a fair or accurate assessment of Cruz.
In Cedar Falls on Thursday, Cruz told an audience of nearly 200 people that he only mentioned President Obama once in his speech accounting his candidacy. Cruz admitted that Americans know what’s wrong with the county and want to turn the page. Cruz then laid out his three-pronged approach that should appeal to more people than just evangelicals and Christian conservatives.
The first prong of his campaign is jobs, growth and opportunity. Much of what Cruz is advocating would be accomplished by tax and regulatory reform. Cruz supports a flat tax, but also wants to eliminate the IRS. As once would expect, he also wants to “repeal every word of Obamacare.” Cruz stated that he wants the 2016 election to be a referendum on eliminating Obamacare and the IRS.
The final two prongs of the Cruz campaign are protecting Americans’ constitutional rights and restoring American leadership in the world. Cruz talked about how the left no longer supports the Bill of Rights. In his remarks, Cruz focused on the 1st, 2nd, 4th, 5th, and 10th Amendments to the Constitution. In regards to foreign policy, Cruz stated that the world is a much more dangerous place when America shrinks from its leadership role around the globe.
I was impressed with Cruz on Thursday, and while his agenda is definitely conservative, it would be a stretch to say that it is designed to only appeal to social conservatives and evangelical voters. What will appeal to the evangelical and conservative Christian voters was the way Cruz responded to a question about the judiciary.
Cruz used the question to highlight some of the cases that he has argued in front of the U.S. Supreme Court. Most of his victories in the Supreme Court came on 5-4 decisions. Cruz then argued that the next President will likely appoint one, two, or three justices to the Supreme Court. Surprisingly, judicial appointments were not a big issue in the 2012 campaign, but with Cruz in the race, that is sure to change. Not only does the issue motivate conservative voters, but for Cruz, it allows him to talk about his impressive legal record.
Seeing Cruz campaign in Cedar Falls only reinforced my opinion that he is a natural fit for Iowa Caucus goers. The type of campaign team he builds out will have an impact on how well he does here, but as far as candidates go, I think it will be difficult for the rest of the field to match what Cruz brings to the table. He’s smart, a good speaker, knows to inject some humor into his remarks, and is as conservative as the day is long.
Cruz’s announcement and now first trip to Iowa have been a resounding success. I don’t know if he can win the GOP nomination for president in 2016, but I have no doubt that he can win the Iowa Caucuses. If Cruz does win Iowa, his chances of winning the nomination are going to dramatically increase, and the field will narrow considerably.
There is a long way to go until caucus day, but Cruz has been impressive out of the gate. If he keeps it up, he is going to challenge Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker for the frontrunner spot in Iowa sooner than later.
Bears repeating.
Um, since Walker hasn’t announced yet, isn’t Ted the
front runner?
Ed Cruz for President!
He is the only runner ;)
Cruz or lose 2016
Cruz should aggressively hit black churches and universities as well. If effective, he could decimate the Democrat party for decades.
...and we’re just waiting orders to drop the next money bomb
I’ll bet if we could see his game plan, we’d be amazed.
I was thinking the same thing.
Light the fuse!
GO Cruz!
He is also the most articulate candidate in the field.
Pray America is waking
AMERICA DESERVES A CULTURE....AND A CRUZ
I like it!
CRUZ OR LOSE !
CRUZ TO VICTORY OR GET BUSHED !
It is a bit unusual for Craig Robinson to describe a candidate in such glowing terms.
With the Iowa Branstad machine supporting Walker, a second place finish by Cruz in Iowa would make him the national frontrunner I’m sure.
Oliver Cromwell “put your trust in God; but mind to keep your powder dry.”
Oh, I’m ready. After a few Bunker Hill’s, wheel pound the MSM’s diatribe into steel for our bayonets.
and mercy be on the liars and robbers of our treasure.
tally-ho!
He should not only hit Black churches but White Churches as well. 50 percent of Christians who hold Judeao-Christian values did NOT vote in 2012. Had they, BHO would not be in the White House tonight. So, what I’m saying is, it’s time for us to do what Black Churches have done forever, and what White Churches did during the “Moral Majority” days of the ‘80s. Reach out to church folk by every means available. I know that John Hagee, who has a mega-church in San Antonio (including a large Latino membership) and is seen by millions on TV daily, is a humongous supporter of Israel. So, go ahead and reach out to the Black Churches, but make a conscious effort to reach out to White Churches also. George W. did this to an extent but neither McCain, nor Romney, made any effort whatsoever.
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