Posted on 11/24/2015 9:08:03 AM PST by Isara
Today's Ted Cruz news: Ted Cruz acknowledged in an early GOP debate that he might not be the candidate you want to have a beer with. "But if you want someone to drive you home," he said, "I will get the job done and I will get you home."
But beer-buddy populism is old school. New question: Would you want him at your table for Thanksgiving dinner?
CBS News and YouGov posed the question -- about Cruz and other leading presidential candidates -- to primary voters in New Hampshire, Iowa and South Carolina.
From the Dallas Morning News: "South Carolinians were most receptive to hosting Cruz, with 46 percent saying they'd save him a seat at the table. Ben Carson was the state's favorite with 60 percent.
"Iowans were less enthusiastic, with 40 percent willing to offer Cruz an invite. Carson was also Iowa's favorite, but Cruz did finish above Republicans Donald Trump (36 percent) and former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush (33 percent).
"The situation is bleaker in New Hampshire for Cruz, where he was the least appealing of the seven candidates floated as dinner guests. Only 32 percent said they'd host Cruz, while Democratic candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders from neighboring Vermont won with 55 percent."
Separately, Public Policy Polling asked the question nationally, and found that 8 percent of likely voters said they'd host Cruz over six other leading 2016 candidates. "That's better than Marco Rubio, and Bush, who tied with 6 percent. Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton topped the field with 24 percent.
"And, only 4 percent of voters polled said Cruz would be the most likely to say something inappropriate and ruin Thanksgiving Dinner, second only Rubio (1 percent).
"The leader? Donald Trump with 46 percent": Dallas Morning News.
It's not that Iowans are extraordinarily fickle. But the Thanksgiving poll question there included the opinions of Democrats as well as Republicans. Remove the Democrats and ask Iowa Republicans which candidate they'd vote for as a presidential nominee if their caucuses were held today, and the men flip positions, or so a new -- and widely watched -- poll shows.
That's right: Cruz now leads Carson in the Iowa horse race, according to a new Quinnipiac poll. And Cruz is so close behind frontrunner Donald Trump that the top position is essentially a statistical tie.
"Ted Cruz's long-anticipated Iowa surge came a step closer on Tuesday with a new poll showing him just behind Donald J. Trump and leaping ahead of Ben Carson, as terrorism and foreign policy now drive the 2016 nominating race," reports the New York Times.
"Mr. Cruz, the Republican Texas senator, was the choice of 23 percent of likely Republican caucus-goers in the new poll, from Quinnipiac University, following Mr. Trump at 25 percent and ahead of Mr. Carson at 18 percent. Senator Marco Rubio of Florida was in fourth with 13 percent. The margin of error was plus or minus four percentage points": New York Times.
ABC News has this perspective: "With less than 70 days to the Iowa Caucus, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz is seeing larger numbers at his events, increased fundraising, and a momentum that has propelled him to second place in Tuesday's Quinnipiac University poll of Iowa Republican caucus-goers. Cruz's support has doubled since the last Quinnipiac poll four weeks ago and he finds himself in a dead heat with Donald Trump for the top spot.
"'The difference over the last two or three months each time he comes to the state, it just seems like there's more excitement and people seem to be starting to understand that they have their champion in this election cycle,' Cruz's Iowa State Director Bryan English told ABC News": ABC News.
What happens when a candidate surges?
The attacks pile on.
CNN says that Cruz, a "Texas firebrand," is now "squarely in the crosshairs, dealing daily with attacks from Republicans and Democrats in a way that he shied from for much of the race. And he's punching back."
CNN offers examples, with Cruz-focused criticisms from the Democratic National Committee, a Hillary Clinton super PAC, and Republicans including Rick Santorum, Bobby Jindal (who has now left the Republican nominating race) and Jeb Bush: CNN.
The only Republican I wouldn’t invite is Christie. He’d eat the whole damn Turkey!
Mr. Cruz senior can come too. It will be a lot of fun.
Yes, he’d be very welcome at my table.
And I’d offer him a beer before & after.
Oooof. I need a break. Little turkey, few laughs, maybe some football. Relax and enjoy.
And that is also my overall goal. To get us to where we are enjoying our lives more and concerned about the government MUCH less because the feds have been cut by 80%.
Yes, I would..
My God, rock hard Granite Staters from “Live Free or Die” New Hampshire would have the communist bastard at their dinner tables? And choose him over Mr. Liberty, Ted Cruz?
The world has gone insane. Too many commies from Mass. and Vermont infecting NH.
How shallow this writer is. You have a guy who has argued before the supreme court and somehow he would be a dud at your dinner table?
I would love to have Ted Cruz for dinner. He’s clearly a great intellect and Constitutional Law scholar, as well as interesting speaker. His conservative views are impeccable. He would have a lot of very interesting things to say.
Yes ... and to the range on Friday.
I would too,but not the reporter
Such a poll is absolutely silly.
Yes, and he would enjoy it.
I second the sentiment. There isn't a pubbie that I wouldn't sit down with or fear that they would "ruin the meal". I think that they are all decent honorable (more or less) people.
I would even invite the hildebeast - but only to mock her. If Øbongo came on my property I would shoot him.
Yes, I would love to have him at Thanksgiving dinner! He seems to be a real gentleman, and would be a great influence for our (mostly conservative) kids (ages 27-35). I would be a little nervous about how my cooking stacks up, but otherwise, happy for him to be our guest.
Would you want him at your table for Thanksgiving dinner?
Heck yeah!
I’d ask him to say grace.
And then fill the house with periodic “turkey farts” during the post dinner activities.
Stupid question. Of course I would. As would any conservative. Ask the question of any other candidate and you’d likely have a majority no.
Yes, I would, and proudly so!
Cruz would be very welcome, another wing of the family would invite Rand, and some of the younger warriors would invite Trump. The in-laws would have Carson there. It would be a great time that’s for sure.
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