Ted Cruz Aims Directly at Donald Trump for 1st Time

WHITEFIELD, New Hampshire - Ted Cruz challenged Donald Trump directly by name for the first time on the campaign trail - despite his refusal for months to engage in a "cage match" with the GOP frontrunner.

"There are many people that are observing this race nationally [who say it] is coming more and more down to a two-man race between me and Donald Trump," Cruz said. "And we're at the phase in the race where the voters are beginning to look very, very carefully at the records of the candidates."

But on Monday night, Cruz willingly highlighted Trump's record, drawing contrasts with him for the first time on the campaign trail.

Cruz rehashed the debate in 2013 over the Senate's comprehensive immigration measure and then asked the crowd of 100 to reflect on Trump's whereabouts during the conservative backlash.

"We were on the verge of losing this fight and 12 million people here illegally being granted amnesty," Cruz said. "And yet, when that fight was being fought, Donald was nowhere to be found."

He then told the voters they have "reason to doubt the credibility" of a candidate who takes these hardline positions only after announcing his candidacy.

Cruz also highlighted TARP, the 2008 bank bailout, as well as the stimulus package passed by Congress in 2009.

"On both of those, I opposed it," Cruz stated. "On both of those, Mr. Trump supported them."

He then squared up an attack on eminent domain, suggesting Trump "supports using government power to seize private people's homes to give them to giant corporations to, say, hypothetically build a casino."

Cruz still says he has "no intention of reciprocating" the "insults" launched by Trump.

"I will continue to sing his praises personally," Cruz added. "But I do think policy difference are fair game."

Earlier Monday, Cruz also noted Trump's past support for universal healthcare coverage.

Where other GOP candidates have faltered and fallen after challenging Trump, Cruz's approach - policy-driven and meticulously-worded - could be an effective disarming of his rival just two weeks before the Iowa caucus.

Rich Kardell, a physician who drove an hour for the event from Gorham with his two sons, arrived to the event wavering between voting for Trump and Cruz. After the event, Kardell's perception had changed.

"Donald has kind of gone both ways and changed his opinion," Kardell said. "Everybody changes their opinion, but it seems that Donald has different reasons for changing his opinion."

Kardell suggested Cruz "addressed Donald appropriately" and led him to question what would "stop [Trump] from changing his line later."

And Steve Jesseman, a campground owner from Lisbon, refused to rule Trump out for his vote after Cruz's Monday night event, but he said he is now "closer to voting for Cruz than when I got here."

"[Cruz] provided the contrasts, but he did it nicely," Jesseman said. "He didn't do it cruelly."

MAYBE, after heâ€™s gotten a few years older and some life experience under his belt AND actually PROVEN himself beyond some words and picking some unwinnable fights, then I MIGHT be persuaded differently.

The guy is 45 years old and has never had a job outside government/politics. He hasnâ€™t shown me he can convince anyone outside of the already devoted to follow him anywhere. Thatâ€™s what a leader does and Iâ€™m not seeing it.

You are so right. Cruz has never accomplished anything. He was just another slimy lawyer on the government dole. He sought out only the easiest, low profile cases.

When religious freedom was under attack he won a case before the Supreme Court and protected that 1st Amendment right, so I will give him that. But the 1st Amendment, as it applies to religious freedom, isn’t that big of a deal.

When he established that the 2nd Amendment is a right of the individual and not a collective right before the Supreme Court, it is not like we ever had to worry about it. The left is making noises about taking away firearms, they don’t actually mean it. Again, just another case we can disregard.

The Ten Commandments, on public display on state property in Texas, should be torn apart. Who does Texas think it is having such a detrimental affect on the question of state’s rights to offend those that wish to destroy a symbol of that state’s and this country’s values? I really wish Cruz would have kept his nose out of that one when he wasted taxpayer money winning the case before the Supreme Court.

Ted Cruz, just another slimy lawyer, always going to the Supreme is enough to prove he has no values, just look at the cases he keeps selecting! Like that pathetic, low profile case that he won before the Supreme Court forever protecting the Pledge of Allegiance. You would think Cruz would at least select something half way conservative to get involved in.

Protecting the sovereignty of the United States before the Supreme Court against international bodies, and winning? What nerve! We need to surrender our sovereignty and Cruz won a case rejecting foreign government intervention in domestic affairs. I am really liking Cruz less and less.

He can’t get along with anyone in Congress. You never get things done that way. You have to reach across the aisle and give the Democrats what they want. McConnell, Ryan and McCain know how the game is played. Cruz needs to learn the game from these guys before he runs for president. Conservatives have been whining and crying about Obama care and getting rid of it. Cruz thought we were serious! He actually went so far as to shut down the government to defund it! What was he thinking?

Now Trump, there’s a guy that can get things done! He has said he can make deals! That’s what we want. We want to deal with Democrats. Trump knows Democrats and has donated to the for decades. He has their number!

Cruz has never done anything. He hasn’t actually advanced conservatism or American values. He blows smoke and collects a government paycheck.

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.