Posted on 08/17/2015 6:32:28 PM PDT by VinL
When the junior senator from Texas announced that he was running for president last March, I used these pages to write that, "Ted Cruz could win in places like Alabama."
That opinion was based upon Cruz's unapologetic advocacy and defense of the conservative principles of limited government, individual liberty, and free markets, and his sincere desire to see those principles form the foundation for a massive shift in American governance.
Five months into his campaign, however, I feel that my earlier statement must be revised: Ted Cruz "will" win in places like Alabama, and perhaps in even less conservative states.
That prediction is based upon his impressive performance in the crowded primary thus far.
First, Cruz raised more hard money in the last reporting cycle than any of his competitors – even more than Jeb Bush who is backed by the establishment's money machine. This is a crucial indicator because, as we have learned, in this age money is indeed speech, and donating to a candidate is essentially "early voting" it is most truthful and practical form.
Moreover, Cruz's cash was raised in small amounts from many individual donors, a clear sign of deep and wide support cross the nation.
Usually, when a candidate claims that they've raised more individual donations and in small amounts, it's meant to highlight their grassroots support and downplay the fact that they're not raising large sums of money. Cruz is turning that typical formula on its head.
He's getting more individual contributions, in smaller amounts, and still raising the most money all at once. That's unheard of.
Second, Cruz is polling remarkably well in a crowded field of several All-Star candidates who, in normal cycles, would be leading contenders for the nomination. It's not like Cruz is the only conservative in the race; it's just that he may be the most courageous and trustworthy.
That's making a difference.
After the first debate, Cruz rocketed to second place in an early survey of support, behind Donald Trump and ahead of Ben Carson. Notice anything similar about those three? They're all outsiders, either removed from the party's establishment by their careers (Trump and Carson) or by their actions (Cruz). When those other two leave for whatever reason (Trump isn't a consistent and trustworthy conservative, and Carson isn't ready to battle the Democrats or the bureaucracy), the natural recipient of their fed-up-with-the-establishment supporters is Cruz. When the field shrinks in the coming months, expect Cruz's numbers to steadily increase.
Third, Cruz's anti-establishment message is resonating with voters, and it's something that movement conservatives have been waiting to hear since 1988. His attack on the "Washington Cartel," as he calls it, takes on both parties. Last month he took to the Senate floor and, in an unprecedented act of political courage, called the party's lackluster and backroom-dealing majority leader, Mitch McConnell, a "liar" for secretly negotiating with Democrats to pass President Barrack Obama's trade deal and rescue a crony capitalist bank from disestablishment. I've rarely seen a sitting politician take-on his leadership like that, and it was refreshing and inspiring.
So when Cruz came to Huntsville last Sunday evening to speak with supporters, I took my two oldest children in hopes that they'd see the man who might end up rescuing their generation from inheriting a weakened, and less free, America. I've been to a number of these early primary events, and I only expected 200-300 attendees at most. But organizers said they received more than 1,400 RSVPs, and by my count there were easily 2,000 people standing in the main hall and foyer of the Jackson Center conference facility.
Cruz's speech was wonderful, and it reminded me of what Rush Limbaugh said when he announced last spring.
"We finally now have, on display, someone who can cheerfully, confidently, happily articulate conservatism in a charismatic, positive way," Limbaugh said on his radio program last March.
"Somebody who's not afraid of it. Somebody who's not ashamed of it.
Somebody who doesn't see any need to qualify it or to make excuses for it."
Does that remind you of any other candidate in recent decades ... who was also hated by the establishment?
Let's hope Cruz – and America – enjoys similar results.
I believe that Sessions knows what he is doing. I have no reason to think that whst you advise is prudent or neccessary. Thank you for suggestion though.
Anyone who believes those proposals by Cruz are good for the American worker should read Jeff Sessions on those issues.
To be blunt, considering the mood in 2015 America, millions now longer give a s*** how you or anyone else define it. Republican, GOP, progressive, GOPe, conservative, Rhino, Democrats, socialist etc. Few even care about these political camps.
Few cares about the insiders party brand. Americans by the millions have reached that point. Trust me.
We are electing a president and leader, not a member of some political club. Hopefully a genuine leader who understands what the hell is needed to fix this epic disaster. We've had the political club "business as usual" well connected politicians who are owned for decades. The results are obvious.
We'd better get it right and we better do it soon.
Bravo.
Amen, we can’t afford to screw this one up. Neither can we afford a wishy, washy, candidate who says one thing and once in office - does another, or bows to the donor class and lobbyists to do their bidding. As much as I revere Ronald Reagan and everyone likes to toot his bona-fides conservatism, he signed that disastrous amnesty bill in 1986. That was far from a conservative thing to do.
Hey, sister, check your calendar. I don’t know where y’all are at in Georgia, but it’s still August over here in Texas. My senator is chugging along nicely, don’t you worry about that.
Ted Cruz is no George Bush, friend. Let’s get that right straight away...
And where is Trump on affirmative action and gay marriage? Yeah, you sound just like this establishment types in your support of Trump.
Don’t get me wrong. I like what Trump has to say on immigration and I like him bringing attention to real conservatives like Cruz and Carson, but don’t give be this electability nonsense. 1 in 8 Hispanics will vote for Cruz or Rubio just based on their name alone. Cruz can easily vary the day if conservatives unite behind him.
If Trump wins, I’ll support him, but Cruz is the real deal.
The vote on TPA was on account of McConnell lying straight to his face.
Legal immigration of intelligent, hard working people is a great thing. I have no problem being neighbors with a fellow from India or China that came to this country to work hard, be free, and enjoy life as an American. So, you now, if you stack that against Tyrone the rapper who happened to be born here... I’ll go with the immigrant every time.
Now illegal immigration from Latin America... that’s an entirely different thing.
*carry the day
“Cruz can easily vary the day if conservatives unite behind him.”
Maybe, but so far it hasn’t happened.
No candidate can win with just the base.
Trump attracts a large share of the base as well as moderates and even conservative Democrats.
Cruz can carry the base and should he win the nomination he’ll also carry a lot of Republicans who aren’t rock ribbed conservatives but still vote GOP.
He won’t however pull many independents and almost zero of the Reagan Democrats.
Sorry but the numbers just don’t support that. If they did then Cruz would be leading or at least trending better. He’s not. Trump is.
Want to help Cruz? Try pasting this URL and hitting the "go" button: https://donate.tedcruz.org/c/FBTX0095/
Palin also didn’t run, we will never be able to gauge what support she would have had in her heyday if she ran. The media hates Cruz too, but what I admire about him is that he’s running anyway. As far as not getting any traction, Cruz is currently number 1 in the Breitbart primary and number 3 in the FOX news poll and he’s doing this despite a media blackout and with Trump sucking all the oxygen out of the room. Cruz will continue to build his base of support in the early primary states and hopefully he won’t be froze out of a debate for 40 minutes like the last FOX debate. It’s early, very early and there’s still a lot of campaigning to be done.
Well, Alabama IS the most conservative state in the union.
He will win in places like Alabama.
Both of them.
The $$$$$ are going into the pockets of the treasonous scumbags who hire these people, and until a few of them go to prison, you can't fix this problem.
Yes, they do. Try running a small Christian school, holding back the forces of Satan from poisoning little minds, in the face of 70-80 families all of whom have a different definition of what a Christian is.
It's a Protestant country. What can you do?
Do you have the toll-free number? I seem to have misplaced it.
And 4500 irreplaceable heroes dead, 20 000+ maimed, and $4 trillion wasted, for nothing.
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