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Inside Iowa’s ‘Camp Cruz’
US News & World Report ^ | January 8, 2016 | David Catanese

Posted on 01/08/2016 5:07:06 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet

DES MOINES, Iowa - It's a little past 8:30 in the morning and Ken Brolin is marching down the narrow hallway of an old college dormitory, pounding on doors to make sure everyone's up and at 'em.

But the three-story residence that sits next to a business college here is no longer housing students seeking a degree in administration or accounting. Instead, this is the temporary home for foot soldiers devoted to securing the Republican presidential caucuses for Ted Cruz.

Brolin, who assisted Newt Gingrich's Iowa campaign in 2012, is a silver-haired political hand who is now the equivalent of a resident adviser for the building, commonly referred to as "Camp Cruz" - the living quarters for volunteers who have come from coast to coast to lend a hand to the Texas senator.

Aside from a couple stragglers - "OK everybody, we need you to head down, please, please, please," he barks - most of Brolin's troops are already at the campaign's headquarters a few miles away, dialing potential caucusgoers in hopes of closing the deal for Cruz, who is leading in polls here with 24 days to go.

It's common, almost expected, for out-of-state volunteers to flood into early nominating states in the closing weeks before voting. What's different about Camp Cruz is the strategic decision the campaign made to house its helpers together and form a community, rather than scramble to find supporters who would host them individually or shell out considerably more money for nightly hotel rooms....

(Excerpt) Read more at usnews.com ...


TOPICS: Iowa; Campaign News; State and Local
KEYWORDS: cruz; grassroots; groundgame; iowa; strategy; tedcruz

1 posted on 01/08/2016 5:07:06 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Hoping Trump wins the presidency I kinda’ hope Cruz wins Iowa. Winning Iowa is typically the only win then it’s all down hill.


2 posted on 01/08/2016 5:47:54 PM PST by VerySadAmerican
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

We have a freeper in Iowa. Hope he has fun.


3 posted on 01/08/2016 5:50:19 PM PST by libbylu
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To: VerySadAmerican

Thanks for sharing. I still think Cruz will take your boy out. Trump has no knowledge, manners or couth with specialities in superior bragging and bullying skills. That works in private business where you cheat your way to the top. Not so much unless he plans to use a magic pen in which they won’t let him get away with it. Impeachment, conviction, bye bye.
Enjoy your dream.


4 posted on 01/08/2016 5:54:16 PM PST by libbylu
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To: VerySadAmerican

Tell that to Dubya, Barack Obama and Jimmy Carter.


5 posted on 01/08/2016 5:55:29 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet (TED CRUZ 2016)
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To: VerySadAmerican

Except for the last two Presidents.


6 posted on 01/08/2016 5:58:57 PM PST by jjotto ("Ya could look it up!")
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To: jjotto

jjotto—what’s your take on the state of the campaigns at this point, 3 1/2 weeks out?


7 posted on 01/08/2016 6:39:28 PM PST by SharpRightTurn (White, black, and red all over--America's affirmative action, metrosexual president.)
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To: SharpRightTurn

Conventionally, Cruz has a distinct advantage and Trump’s NYC persona is a disadvantage in Iowa, which does prefer lower-key candidates. But Trump’s celebrity appeal is unprecedented and might be huge. Or might disappear with bad weather.

Wa-a-ay overlooked is the Iowa GOP establishment, which was in disarray during the last two cycles. They could propel Christie to a surprise third place, or might help Cruz.

Carson and his supporters haven’t gone away.

Unknowns. That’s why there are actual votes instead of just relying on polls and projections.

Just to add: Bush and Rubio haven’t even tried to have an Iowa ground game.


8 posted on 01/08/2016 7:11:00 PM PST by jjotto ("Ya could look it up!")
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To: jjotto

Interesting observations. Thanks. I wasn’t aware Jebbie was not trying to put together a ground operation. I guess he’s pinning everything on NH and SC.


9 posted on 01/08/2016 7:59:10 PM PST by SharpRightTurn (White, black, and red all over--America's affirmative action, metrosexual president.)
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To: SharpRightTurn

Jeb/Rove was always intending to gamble almost exclusively on Florida, a la Giuliani.


10 posted on 01/08/2016 8:02:43 PM PST by jjotto ("Ya could look it up!")
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To: libbylu

I’m not convinced Trump is for real. But I do think he’s the only one who will tell it like it is. Plus, the rinos won’t allow Cruz to win and if he gets the nomination they’ll destroy him with money. They can’t do that with Trump.


11 posted on 01/09/2016 5:31:05 PM PST by VerySadAmerican
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To: jjotto

Joni Ernst did better than expected in her senate race and ran far from an ideological campaign. She mainly ran as ‘Iowa Nice.’ We’re not home to NY Values here. Using Sinatra songs against Trump may be a novelty, but it’s hardly hitting below the waist. There are lots of older Iowans who vote and many were Sinatra fans. The Birther attacks on Cruz were already NOT selling here. The ‘Ted is nasty’ line isn’t going to sell when he’ll have done the full Grassley, visiting all 99 counties, so everyone will have at least 2nd hand experience of seeing him live. The Donald is Trumping himself.


12 posted on 01/17/2016 6:41:08 PM PST by JohnBovenmyer (Obama been Liberal. Hope Changed)
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To: VerySadAmerican

How’s all that Rino money worked for Jeb so far? Other than Branstad’s son working for the ethanol lobby the state GOPe has been surprisingly quiet this election cycle. The candidate with money who’s been using it well has been Cruz. Of course the Donald has money, but at least until recently he hasn’t been willing to splurge with it. His personal parsimony has been one of the better non-verbal signs from Trump; the White House could really use a cheapskate. But as Milton Friedman pointed out famously, how you spend your own money isn’t necessarily a sign of how you’ll spend other people’s money.


13 posted on 01/17/2016 6:47:02 PM PST by JohnBovenmyer (Obama been Liberal. Hope Changed)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Great strategy. I expect it’ll be effective as well.


14 posted on 01/18/2016 5:22:55 PM PST by FourPeas (Chocolate, sugar and lots of caffeine. Hard to beat that.)
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