Posted on 12/15/2014 7:20:39 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet
Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, doesn’t believe governors have an advantage over senators when it comes to winning the 2016 GOP presidential nomination.
“It’s an advantage only if you think that the American people are looking for someone who is not standing up and leading on the great challenges of the day,” Cruz said Monday in an appearance on the Mark Levin Show.
Cruz’s comments come as several Republican governors and former governors are considering running for president.
That includes Jeb Bush of Florida, Chris Christie of New Jersey, Scott Walker of Wisconsin, and John Kasich of Ohio. Cruz’s colleagues who may run include Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., and Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky.
“We do see a fair number of governors who are taking a pass on the great challenges facing us right now,” Cruz said. “And here’s what I hope. By any measure there are a lot of folks … that are thinking of running for president in ’16, both governors and senators. What I’ve urged every one of them is…‘the number one way to demonstrate that you should be the nominee is to stand up and lead…stand up for free market principles, stand up for the Constitution, stand up for American leadership in the world.”
Cruz believes someone with a conservative message will win the nomination and a general election.
“If you look at Republican nominees that have gone on to win the presidency they have done so consistently by running as strong conservatives with a positive optimistic hopeful messages,” Cruz said, urging candidates to stay away from what he dubs the “Bushy middle.”
(That was a bit of odd phrasing given it’s been since 1984 that a Republican president was not named Bush.)
Some observers, including former Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott, R-Miss., believe it is the governors with the advantage.
“I think the American people really will be looking for a governor,” Lott said last month when asked about the issue. “I don’t think any of our senators are really going to be that viable in 2016, partially because you vote every day and your record can be twisted around your neck every day.”
they do. but there can be other factors to consider.
He didn’t get the nickname BOMBTHROWER for nothing. Being from Texas, I still LOVE him.
This X million! CRUZ: "Nothing would make me happier than seeing strong leadership from governors and senators fighting side by side"— Amanda Carpenter (@amandacarpenter) December 16, 2014
Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott, C-Miss
C = CROOK
Ted is absolutely right. Where were GOPe lackeys Walker and Kasich during the Obamacare fight last year..........? AWOL!
I traditionally believe that governors come to the table with executive experience and that aids them well in running and governing. I am not so sure we are not in a new era of politics, though. We also used to see candidates with military experience trump those without, but the last winner following that rule was in 1988. That’s an eternity ago in politics.
I think communication skills and television skills trump either executive and military experience with the electorate. You gotta win to be president, so my first criteria is whether the candidate can effectively battle the media the Democrats. A governor that kowtows and capitulates doesn’t have a chance. It has to be a conservative who can think on their feet and go around the media firestorm. It doesn’t have to be a perfect ideological conservative, but they have to be a conservative at their core and also be a master campaigner. Those two trump executive experience in today’s world, because a President is first and foremost now a spokesman and a media representative.
This guy is sure getting a lot of ink. Looks like he is shaking the right trees.
Hard to say in this day and age. About the only old rule that I think will hold is that it will either be a governor or senator. I can’t forsee anyone in the House having a serious chance.
One of the reasons Mike Pence left Congress and ran for governor of Indiana, btw. He’s got Presidential ambitions, I’d lay money on it.
Since Ted Cruz was the Texas Solicitor General and a US Attorney, as well as head of the Bush legal team, I don’t think that totally applies to him. Since fewer and fewer people go into the military, there isn’t as large a pool to draw from there.
Well Kasich actually HELPED Obama by implementing Obamacare rather than fight it in OH .The States which fought have stopped its Progress And set up a Supreme Court fight which could kill it !
Walker was fighting with the army he had and did a great job. He’s been elected three times between his first and second terms. He’s broken the government union cabal, that’s easily as important as fighting Obamacare.
Plus, Obamacare might be a blessing in disguise. It’s a tax, Roberts was right. That will help kill it. It also blocks any citizen of a state without an exchange from getting subsidies. That will drive prices up and up and kill it the rest of the way. But it has done one good thing: break the connection between employment and health insurance. It’s now completely portable and stays with the person. The next step is to utilize the Commerce Clause under a GOP POTUS and break state, county and local restraints on trade in the health care field. Remember, we don’t really need health care insurance, but just access to health care.
Do you think the term “Bushy” was a fruadian(sp) slip? Did he mean to say “mushy” middle?
as usual Cruz is right. Usually being a senator or a rep wouldn’t help much. Because the vast majority of senators and rep DONT LEAD, and thus command no respect and are deserving of no higher leadership position.
Cruz has led more in one term than 99% of the senators that have been there for a lifetime.
We can’t trust anyone who doesn’t have a substantial track record of voting and speaking in a compelling way about constitutional conservative issues.
Ted is absolutely right. Where were GOPe lackeys Walker and Kasich during the Obamacare fight last year..........? AWOL!
You can’t be serious? They were doing their jobs and have actual results.....Cruz? Not a one. Poor guy can talk though.
I wouldn’t expect him to say anything else. Governors do have an advantage, but it’s not determinative. Cruz will be a great candidate, but his lack of executive experience is a negative. He’s not perfect; none of them are.
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