Ted Cruz is, without a doubt, the most capable, eloquent, thoughtful, and fearless conservative that this country has seen since Reagan, and, he may even exceed Reagan in all departments. However, it is also equally certain that the Republican branch of the DC Cartel wants conservatives to rally around Cruz, not Trump. Because Cruz, as great as he is, has little chance of winning the primary, a primary whose playing field has been specifically designed to prevent conservatives from winning. And if did win the primary, he would have to win the general with only token Republican support. And if he made it past those two obstacles, he would be a president that could count on very little support from his own party, and none outside of his own party.
It is for this reason that Trump, not Cruz, provides the only realistic chance for conservatism to flourish, even though Trump is arguably not even conservative, and Cruz is the epitome of principled, competent, and eloquent conservatism.
You’re telling me, “Don’t vote for Cruz because he can’t win.” That’s a self-fulfilling prophecy. I’m telling you, vote for him because we can make him win. If he had all Trump’s support, he’d be in the lead. Is Trump’s support more likely to go to Jeb?
Trump’s negatives are huge, so it’s unlikely he has much room to grow in the polls. Many people will never switch their vote to him.
It’s up to us to decide who we rally around. Cruz has a very good chance of winning the primary. People will like him the more they see of him. One poll already shows he gained the most from the debate. He’s got more money raised than anyone but Bush. As other candidates drop out, Cruz more likely to gain their votes than Jeb, since most candidates polling well are more conservative than Jeb.
I don’t vote based on who the party will or will not support. Everything you say about the party not supporting Cruz applies doubly to Trump. The party didn’t want Reagan but he won the general election.
And you haven’t at all explained how someone who you say is arguably not conservative can help conservatism to flourish. If Trump is just as likely to cut a deal with Democrat congress as well as a Republican, conservatism doesn’t flourish. He has Arnold Schwarzenegger written all over him.