Posted on 12/07/2015 9:54:00 AM PST by Isara
Sen. Ted Cruz has surged past Donald Trump in Iowa with less than two months to go before the nation's first nominating contest, giving Cruz his first lead in any early voting state during the campaign.
A Monmouth University poll said Cruz has 24 percent support among likely Republican caucus-goers in Iowa, a 14-point jump for the Texas senator since October.
Trump won 19 percent in the poll, giving Cruz a 5 percent lead that's outside the margin of error.
Much of Cruz's support stems from evangelical Iowans who back the conservative senator 30 percent to Trump's 18 percent. Retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson previously led the GOP field in support among this coveted demographic, but now earns just 15 percent support among evangelicals, putting him behind Cruz, Trump, and Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla. (16 percent).
Cruz also carries a substantial lead among voters affiliated with the Tea Party. The freshman senator earns 36 percent support compared to Trump (20 percent), Carson (17 percent) and Rubio (11 percent).
Cruz's rise can also be attributed, in part, to his recent endorsement from Iowa Rep. Steve King. Roughly 20 percent of Republicans in the Hawkeye State said King's support makes them more inclined to back Cruz come Feb. 1, including 7 percent who claim King's endorsement makes them "a lot more likely."
Rubio has met with some difficulties while trying to woo Tea Party supporters after his role in the 2013 Gang of Eight immigration bill, which proposed a 13-year pathway to citizenship for illegal immigrants in the United States. While that bill damaged his reputation among the hard-line conservative movement, the Florida senator leads the GOP field among women in Iowa with 23 percent support.
That support helped keep Rubio in third place in the poll. He follows right behind Trump's 19 percent with 17 percent in the poll. Carson, who had a commanding lead in Iowa less than two months ago, has plummeted to 13 percent. At 6 percent support, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush is the only other Republican contender to poll above 5 percent.
According to the poll, Rubio is the most-liked Republican candidate in Iowa, as 70 percent of voters hold a positive view of the Florida senator. Cruz and Carson each boast a net-positive favorability rating of 67-19 percent, while Trump is viewed favorably by 54 percent of voters and unfavorably by 36 percent. Bush, meanwhile, has a net-negative favorability rating of 38-45 percent.
The New-Jersey based survey of 425 likely Republican caucus-goers was conducted between Dec. 3-6 and contains a margin of error plus or minus 4.8 percent.
...with the jawbone of an ass????
On Immigration, Cruz Aims for Middle Ground
What Cruz has tried to articulate in both word and deed is a middle ground. It got no support from Democrats in Washington, but it goes further than many on the far right want to go by offering leniency to undocumented immigrants here already: A path to legal status, but not to citizenship. A green card with no right to naturalization.
Also from article:
Asked about what to do with the people here illegally, however, he stressed that he had never tried to undo the goal of allowing them to stay.
Legal status will give them welfare and other programs.
Apparently you do not recognize the difference between a direct quote (Cruz) and editorializing of the comment (reporter).
I hear you! Cruz has constantly gotten "kneecapped" in the Senate and they know they can deal with him.
Trump is "Daddy Warbucks" and they're a little hesitant in trying to attack him as witnessed by how he's fared so far.
You're right, Cruz is a good man, but I wouldn't beat on him wading into the den of snakes and thieves and coming out intact.
Trump on the other hand could not have built his successful empire without knowing how to deal with them.
How about Trumps resume compared to a community organizers resume? Trump will be tremendous as President!
Exactly my point! As you said, having as much money as Trump has guarantees nothing. Money won’t buy Trump the coherent ideology and solid conservative record that Cruz possesses. The Donald has been a roulette wheel on the issues for his entire career. He recently landed on a few conservativish positions, but the smart money knows to bet small on the next spin. Anything could happen, and he can’t spend enough to convince actual conservatives to trust him. He’s already locked up the easily duped.
Yes, Cruz is a more pure conservative but if we nominate him only to lose to Shrillary, it will be a devastating blow. I think Trump will clobber her in a crushing landslide.
Okay, why was Cruz yellow on “Free Market?”!!!
Ok, show me a quote where Cruz wants to deport illegals. I don’t have time to keep digging up articles to make this point but Cruz is not for deporting. Rubio even hit back on this point when Cruz went after Rubio for Gang of Eight.
I know— It is strange that it took so long for the evangelical Iowans to realize Cruz would be the one most likely to represent their values... It was pretty obvious from the start..
Great news for the Cruz Crew. Let’s keep our eye on the ball, though. Organization combined with fervor is what puts a candidate over-the-top in Iowa. We have to stay focused and continue to get the word out.
Also, Iowa is only the beginning. We must work to recreate this enthusiasm in all 50 states
You started it, you finish it.
Hahahahaha!!!
I'm afraid that's wishful thinking.
NO ONE, including TRUMP has locked up anything.
There are miles to go.
When Cruz DOESN'T get the nomination I'll ask you then.. WHY?
Cruz makes his own numbers. He has a team in every county in Iowa. Plus, as Carson loses votes, most of those go to Cruz and some to Rubio. Carson voters likely will not go to Trump due to Trump's malignant words said about Carson. If you tick off a set of voters, do not look for them to come to you later.
For likely caucus goers in Iowa? Yes.
Bookmarking
Yup. In Noo Yawk, the Belly of the Beast.
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