UPDATE 5:00am: It looks like Howie might have found the culprit within the Ted Cruz campaign. A guy named Christopher Larimer works for Ted Cruz, and previously put a stunt like this together in Alaska. As outlined in a 2014 PBS article:
[...] “Why would they think that shaming would make people comply?”
Because, well, it does. That’s according to Chris Larimer, associate professor of political science at the University of Northern Iowa. And he’s done the research to prove it.
“We found that when you make people aware of the norm of voting and that somebody else is going to observe whether or not you vote, people are more likely then to vote,” he said.
The letter from the so-called Alaska State Voter Project is nearly identical, word for word, to one that Larimer and other researchers tested in Michigan, right down to the typography and punctuation. In that 2006 research, Larimer and colleagues sent voters one of four different letters.
The softest message just urged people to do their civic duty and vote. The most aggressive letter matched the Alaska mailer. It included the addressee’s voting history as well as those of their neighbors, and contained something of a threat by promising a follow-up letter to show the results of the upcoming election. Larimer says they got complaints, but the technique worked quite well. (read more)
That emboldened segment describes the current Cruz Campaign mailer 100%. Also, Chris Larimer is noted in this recent Texas Tribune article about the controversial debate:
[...] For Cruz, the No. 2 candidate in many polls, Trump’s snub could make him the center of action at the Iowa Events Center, a role that comes with both risks and rewards.
“If Trump’s not there, it affects the strategy other candidates take toward Cruz,” said Christopher Larimer, a political science professor at the University of Northern Iowa. “Do they treat Cruz like the frontrunner, or do they talk about Trump?”
At the same time, Larimer added, the debate could be a “lost opportunity” for Cruz to challenge Trump on his conservative credentials in what’s likely their last meeting before the caucuses. (read more)
Looks like another one of those ever brilliant political consultant types sold the Cruz campaign on a version of their already extensive “psychographic analytics”. Wouldn’t be surprised if billionaire Phd Robert Mercer, via Cambridge Analytica targeting - isn’t involved in the engineering of this too.
I think this tactic backfires bigtime among Republicans.
Anybody know how widespread the mailing was?
Did it to to all registered Republicans in Iowa?
Something similar has been used in other places/states in the past. Effectiveness, who knows?
Just not sure they'd end up voting the way that mailer hopes....
Maybe Larimer’s neighbors could go through his garbage, count the bottles, and send the neighbors a letter about his drinking habits.
Looks like Cruz either (1) cannot control his own organization or (2) he approves of this behavior.
Either way, this is a gigantic black mark for Cruz.
Cruz gets fleas when he lies down with dogs like Larimer.
A Cruz administration could be infested with hangers-on like Larimer, dragging down whatever good will Cruz might have.
Sorry Cruz, you just lost.