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Sen. Ted Cruz, My New Best Friend
Townhall.com ^ | March 3, 2016 | Debra J. Saunders

Posted on 03/03/2016 7:31:57 AM PST by Kaslin

I could vote for Ted Cruz in the California primary, I realized as I learned the senator from Texas won not only his home state on Super Tuesday but also Oklahoma. Cruz also beat Donald Trump in the Iowa caucuses and claimed the top spot in the Alaska caucuses Tuesday.

OK, so maybe I've scolded Cruz for leading the GOP House into a box canyon in his doomed effort to defund Obamacare. And I may have called him a snake a time or two. There's something about the way he talks that gets on my nerves. I believe that Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida would have a much better chance of winning in November than Cruz. Likewise Ohio Gov. John Kasich. But the most important thing now is to deny Trump the nomination, and Cruz has won the second-most delegates so far.

The Washington Post's Dan Balz figures the GOP has two weeks to stop Trump. If he's right, then there may not be time to wait for Rubio or Kasich to catch fire. If all three R's stay in the race, the only other means to beat Trump would be to deny him the needed 1,237 delegates -- in which case Cleveland convention delegates would choose the nominee. (In 1976, Ronald Reagan supporters tried -- but failed -- to bump out front-runner Gerald Ford with a convention vote.) The surest way to dump Trump is with a rival who wins more delegates than The Donald.

Supporting Cruz won't be easy for many insiders. Not a single fellow GOP senator has endorsed Cruz. His kamikaze tactics have alienated many professional Repubs. Cruz himself has admitted he's not the candidate you'd choose to kick back with to share some brews. But he hasn't lumped undocumented Mexican immigrants into the "drug dealer, rapist" category as has Trump. He hasn't called for a ban on Muslims entering the United States a la Trump. His language isn't calibrated to insult women as is Trump's.

I don't think Trump's views are winning votes; it is that he started off as a celebrity. Being famous gave the reality TV star access to priceless free media airtime. He used it to make statements so outrageous that he dominated the following news cycle. Breathless TV pundits then marveled at Trump's genius for getting away with crude, childish remarks. Because (sarcasm alert) that's never happened before with a celebrity.

Trump also has won the most states and delegates thanks to a crowded field, which helped him despite polls showing that most Republican voters don't want Trump. Maybe Trump would win in November. Or maybe, as Cruz spokesman Ron Nehring wrote in an email, "Donald Trump as the nominee gives you President Hillary Clinton, a Democratic Senate, and a Supreme Court that's lost for a generation."

If I were voting March 15 and saw a path to Rubio's winning Florida, I'd vote for Marco. Outside that sliver of light, the smart Republican has to look at Cruz. As Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., told CBS News on Tuesday, "Ted Cruz is not my favorite by any means ... but we may be in a position where we have to rally around Ted Cruz as the only way to stop Donald Trump." A small number of Republicans have announced they would not vote for Trump in a Trump-Clinton contest. If Cruz were to win the GOP primary, they might not like voting for the senator, but who said you're supposed to like voting?


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Editorial; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: cruz; gope; rulingclass; rwilson99gopeop
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1 posted on 03/03/2016 7:31:57 AM PST by Kaslin
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To: Kaslin

Thought I detected the Earth standing still. The media mouths of the GOPe are supporting their favorite person to love to hate. Oh the irony is delicious!!


2 posted on 03/03/2016 7:34:15 AM PST by FlipWilson
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To: Kaslin

It is clear this morning the GOPe has given up on stopping Trump with an electoral strategy.

This is now all about mischief at the convention.

Chicago, 1968 anybody??


3 posted on 03/03/2016 7:35:51 AM PST by Buckeye McFrog
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To: Kaslin

4 posted on 03/03/2016 7:36:16 AM PST by Donglalinger
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To: Kaslin

So a GOPe stooge who supports Cabana Boy and Kasich but sees that their campaigns are doomed has decided to vote for the ever-so-slightly-less-doomed Cruz? Must realize that as soon as the election is over, Cruz will go back to being for LPR status for 11 million illegals, so he’s better than Trump.


5 posted on 03/03/2016 7:37:56 AM PST by 20yearsofinternet (Border: Close it. Illegals: Deport. Muslims: Ban 'em. Economy: Liberate it. PC: Kill it. Trump 2016)
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To: Kaslin
I don't think Trump's views are winning votes

Is this nutz or what. Trump crushes Massachusetts and Georgia... and this guy thinks Trump ain't winning votes.

6 posted on 03/03/2016 7:38:25 AM PST by Lagmeister ( false prophets shall rise, and shall show signs and wonders Mark 13:22)
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To: Buckeye McFrog

“Chicago, 1968 anybody??”

Read my mind. If it is, there will be a blood bath.


7 posted on 03/03/2016 7:39:13 AM PST by stephenjohnbanker (My Batting Average( 1,000) since Nov 2014 (GOPe is that easy to read))
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To: Buckeye McFrog

As a Cruz supporter, I see their one goal is now stopping the nomination of Trump on the First ballot but never letting Cruz have enough for it either. Then with an open convention, they want a Ryan or some other stupid dark horse..

They won’t be satisfied with anything other than their toy car back and back bench status.


8 posted on 03/03/2016 7:39:20 AM PST by KC Burke
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To: Kaslin
I don't think Trump's views are winning votes; it is that he started off as a celebrity. Being famous gave the reality TV star access to priceless free media airtime.

No. Debra has to hang out with more regular folks.
9 posted on 03/03/2016 7:42:05 AM PST by Dr. Sivana (There is no salvation in politics)
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To: Donglalinger

Cruz/Rubes are lowlife race-baiters and should be disavowed by every Christian and well meaning person. If you have any morals, any hint of humanity left you should turn your back on them. I wonder what Trump will say at the debate. I hope he has some classic response rather than just stating that he did disavow Duke. He needs to shred CRuz/Rubes on this.


10 posted on 03/03/2016 7:42:05 AM PST by Lagmeister ( false prophets shall rise, and shall show signs and wonders Mark 13:22)
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To: Donglalinger

So now repeating lies on an even larger scale than usual is the Establishment’s policy!

GO TRUMP! BURN THE ESTABLISHMENT HOUSE DOWN!


11 posted on 03/03/2016 7:42:50 AM PST by Mollypitcher1 (I have not yet begun to fight....John Paul Jones)
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To: Kaslin

Cruz, like Twinkie, needs a nutritious diet, a clothing
makeover, as does Twinkie, a new hairdo and to shampoo
his hair and leave off the hair oil, as does Twinkie. . .
in fact, Twinkie should not talk, except Twinkie is not
running for public office. :o)


12 posted on 03/03/2016 7:44:55 AM PST by Twinkie (John 3:16)
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To: Kaslin

Voting for Marco is VOTING FOR OPEN BORDERS and the END of American SOVEREIGNTY! ONE WORLD ORDER is the Establishment’s goal!


13 posted on 03/03/2016 7:45:45 AM PST by Mollypitcher1 (I have not yet begun to fight....John Paul Jones)
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To: Kaslin
Trump also has won the most states and delegates thanks to a crowded field, which helped him despite polls showing that most Republican voters don't want Trump.

But he received more votes than the other candidates. Would not this indicate that most Republican voters don't want them either?
14 posted on 03/03/2016 7:46:42 AM PST by Signalman
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To: Donglalinger

Posting lies again? Trump has repeatedly condemned and disavowed David Duke and the Klan....This has been widely reported across all major media outlets yet some folks like you still enjoy being a tool for the GOPe....

Unbelievable and pathetic....


15 posted on 03/03/2016 7:47:52 AM PST by nevergore
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To: Lagmeister

I’m not a huge fan of Trump. But the tactics Rubio and Cruz have chosen to adopt make me question their fitness for high office, if not their sanity. I really had not expected that - especially from Cruz.


16 posted on 03/03/2016 7:49:26 AM PST by Mr. Jeeves ([CTRL]-[GALT]-[DELETE])
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To: KC Burke

I wonder who Trump gets for delegates. Do they have personal or ideological loyalty to him?
Cruz could probably find fairly well vetted and loyal delegates. Maybe the same with Rubio (but since I don’t like him I find it harder to imagine).


17 posted on 03/03/2016 7:49:30 AM PST by conejo99
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To: Kaslin

Saunders managed to pack nearly every false GOPe Trump meme into a single article. Must have taken some doing.


18 posted on 03/03/2016 7:50:35 AM PST by Fantasywriter (Any attempt to do forensic work using Internet artifacts is fraught with pitfalls. JoeProbono)
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To: Kaslin
I don't think Trump's views are winning votes

The states he's won so far beg to differ.

19 posted on 03/03/2016 7:51:36 AM PST by perfect_rovian_storm
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To: FlipWilson

Guess the whole LSM “we would rather vote for the RAT” trial balloon wasn’t going over so well...


20 posted on 03/03/2016 7:52:54 AM PST by uncitizen (Revenge!)
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