Posted on 02/02/2016 9:20:52 AM PST by jmaroneps37
Last night Texas Senator Ted Cruz won a clear, if small, victory in the Iowa Caucuses. He worked hard and smart to achieve his victory over Donald Trump and Marco Rubio; hats for off to him.
Iowa is a very different place where different elements add up to victory. At this time it is unclear how Cruz did among the Evangelical voters who turned out in large numbers but they were not the only voters to turn out. Clearly he did well enough with other voters to reach his magic number.
Nevertheless, as the Iowa system works the worst news for both Trump and Rubio will merely be the headline showing them finishing second and third because while Cruz got 8 delegates for his win Trump and Rubio both got 7 delegates for finishing second and third. Now the process moves first to New Hampshire a sharply different type of state where Trump holds a large lead over both Cruz and Rubio.
Trump’s lead is currently larges enough to present a tall order for either or both to overcome and convince voters they deserve to win. The latest average of available polls from New Hampshire, shows Trump with a more than 20 point lead over both men. Can either or both close and beat out Trump in the Granite State? Stranger things have happened but that likelihood is not very great.
Trump ... has amassed a huge fortune during a lifetime of ups and downs. He has apparently been very good at learning from mistakes. He didn’t make too many in Iowa and finished with one delegate less than Cruz.
".. he is a quick study as shown by his ability to come so close on his first try; and a 20 point cushion to enter round two with.
(Excerpt) Read more at coachisright.com ...
Cruz did something really right politically about a week ago - he appealed to Iowa voters saying “even if you don’t support me I’m the one guy who can stop Trump in Iowa and keep him from running the table”. I think a lot of Establishment voters and even Dems went along with Ted on that. Robbing Peter to pay Paul in a vote sense I guess..
In NH Trump is expected to win and the same with Sanders. NH is a North Eastern state that leans toward big government secular liberalism. Trump’s biggest contender will be Rubio. Donald should be careful with Marco, he is the GOPe monster that Trump helped create to fight Cruz. If Rubio is not soon squashed he becomes a very real threat to keep the GOPe in power for at least four more years and likely more.
Rush is Anybody but Trump he just won’t admit it.
Funny how winning Iowa was a big deal to Trumpers ... until he lost.
He’d better watch hiss back.
Real Clear Politics does it really mean anything?
Iowa is a proportional delegate state. Cruz won 8 votes, Trump won 7 votes, and rubio won 7 votes.
Hardly what I would call any sort of real victory, more like a three-way tie.
No.
And he should play it smart by not trying to parlay Iowa into “unstoppable”.
Keep expectations REAL low in NH. Rubio is a good bet for 2nd there.
Cruz created the Rubio monster too. He told voters to stop Trump even if they don’t support him.
Right, Cruz did say that. Ok, now it’s going to be something like a 45 plus state win for Trump instead.
“Rush Limbaugh Say Marco Rubio is a Real Conservative”
What??? Good lord!
Given Iowa’s record of picking winners losing is probably a blessing.
Hopefully Trump will win the nomination....a Cruz and Hillary ticket will be a total win for Hillary....
Hello, extremely bitter loser.
Cheer up, you will get a chance to be more gracious next time Cruz wins.
Yep, all are proportional until Florida on March 15th the first state that is winner-take-all with 99 delegates. Last I looked, Trump was at 48% and winning big in Florida.
Spin it however you want but Trump was all in on Iowa and lost. I’m not saying he won’t win but it was a huge mistake.
Rush is what he is - a radio right-leaning entertainer. He will always have my respect for helping me sharpen my political views during the Clinton years. But all you need to know about Rush happened last week when he had to do the first 40 minutes of his show detailing all his Establishment friends before criticizing them mildly.
I can never dislike Rush I just know how to take him nowadays. He has his Palm Beach mansion, golf outings and Dominican Viagara trips to focus on - he won’t upset the apple cart too much. He still is a entertaining voice for our side though and for that I thank him.
Can Cruz out perform the Real Clear Politics average by 21 points?
You do realize that any pre-Iowa poll in NH is largely useless, right? The narratives have changed and many voters will take a second look at the candidates, likely mentally shrinking the field based on those who did horribly in Iowa (e.g., Bush, Kasich... possible exception is Christie, who clearly blew off Iowa for NH).
The sentence DOES say 21 points - you realize that right?
Rubio will look like a toddler in diapers going up against the Clinton machine.
He wasn’t all in on money and structure. Cruz was.
Not criticizing Cruz for that he needed to be.
Is Cruz losing NH any better than Trump losing Iowa?
” I sense the troops of Cruz have been energized”
Yup!
Former president Santorum and former president Huckabee had similar things happen.
They took their Iowa wins and ran the board. Both only lost 2 states! So There is precedent! I was there in NH. We took that momentum and romped!
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