Cruz surges to the top in Iowa

Washington Examiner ^ | 12/7/15 | Gabby Morrongiello

[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.

[VideoDoctor]

How about Trumps resume compared to a community organizers resume? Trump will be tremendous as President!

I'm sure this points out what you're saying.

I've always believed a MAN'S past is a predictor of his FUTURE

Keep in mind this was in NOVEMBER 1986.

==================================

Faster And Cheaper, Trump Finishes N.Y.C. Ice Rink
By Rick Lyman, Inquirer Staff Writer
Posted: November 01, 1986

NEW YORK - Score one for the Trumpster

Back in June, when the city's bungled, six-year effort to renovate the Wollman Ice-Skating Rink in Central Park was $12 million over budget with no end in sight, real-estate tycoon Donald Trump stepped forward.

Just give the project to me, he said, and I'll finish the rink by Christmas. This Christmas. And for free.
"I have total confidence that we will be able to do it," Trump said at the time. "I am going on record as saying that I will not be embarrassed."

Yesterday morning, in a gala ceremony down in the sunken, tree-shrouded gulch just off Central Park South, Trump unveiled his completed rink - the ''largest man-made skating rink in the world," glistening with a mirror- perfect sheath of virgin ice.

He was two months ahead of schedule, and $750,000 under budget.

"This serves as an example of what New York, the wealthiest city in the world, can do in terms of saving money - if things are done right," an exuberant Trump said. "If we could just plan and execute, it would be billions and billions of dollars that would be saved."

Even the weather gods cooperate with Donald Trump. Yesterday's chilly, aquamarine morning was perfect for the occasion, the first day of the season that made ice-skating seem like a pretty good idea.

Skating champions Dick Button and Aja Zanova-Steindler were the first to test the rink. Button did a few graceful turns on the massive rink and declared the ice "velvet."

The near-circular skating area, built in 1951, was closed in 1980 for repairs, but the project quickly fell behind schedule. By the spring of this year, with a bankrupt general contractor and an expensive, experimental refrigeration system that didn't work, Wollman rink was left to rot.

Parks officials announced they were back at "square one," and predicted it would take another year-and-a-half to complete the renovations.

That's when Trump came forward.

The completed complex, near the southeast corner of the park, includes a red-brick concession stand and a rental building wrapping around the slightly sunken rink's north end, and a massive brick-and-concrete patio overlooking the ice.

The highest towers along Central Park South are just visible over the edge of the surrounding tree line.

Trump and New York Parks Commissioner Henry Stern said the rink would be open to the public in about two weeks, giving Trump time to finish work on the concessions building and for thousands of new, rental skates to be shipped to the site.

Under the agreement, Trump will operate the rink for one year, donating any profits to a "mutually agreed charity." He announced yesterday that the Ice Capades organization had been hired to handle the day-to-day operation.

Trump said he "knew very little about ice rinks" when he stepped into the project, but was tired of hearing about the botched city efforts and "wanted to get it open."

He is rehabilitating a huge building on nearby Central Park South into luxury condominiums. The view from many of the more expensive units is of Wollman rink - which before Trump's efforts had been a rusty, concrete scar on the park's southern perimeter.

"We completed two months ahead of schedule and that's a little change of pace and a nice thing to hear for a lot of New Yorkers," Trump said. "We pushed very hard. We had very good men . . . and it was something we really
put a lot of oomph into."

City officials said Trump was able to finish the project so quickly because he's a private developer, not encumbered by city regulations governing public construction projects.

Trump attributed his success to the inclusion of "really tough penalties" against contractors who fell behind schedule - penalties that would have put them out of business.

Under his agreement with the city, Trump paid for the entire renovation out of his own pocket, with the understanding that he'd be reimbursed upon completion up to an agreed-upon limit. The finished rink came in at $1.95 million, Trump said, which was $750,000 below the limit.

Button also announced yesterday that the rink would host an invitation-only fund-raising gala Nov. 22, featuring such Olympic champions as Peggy Fleming, Scott Hamilton and Dorothy Hamill.

"We did a job here and we put a lot of guts into it and we're proud of it," Trump said.

http://articles.philly.com/1986-11-01/news/26094092_1_ice-rink-donald-trump-trump-time

[Marcella]

“Cruz putting all his eggs in Iowa, which frankly is meaningless.”

No, he is not. He has worker teams in most counties in every state, including US territories.

[Duchess47]

Just imagine what he might be able to accomplish with this country. :)

[Marcella]

“Trump would waste his time to fight.”

No, Trump MUST be on top of every poll or he freaks out. The few times a poll wasn’t in his favor, he would deny the poll had credibility, but would start attacking the candidate who looked like he was gaining on him. Polls are his life blood to him. I fully expect him to start bashing Cruz. He has said he would attack Cruz if Cruz gains on him.

[VideoDoctor]

Just imagine what he might be able to accomplish with this country. :)

I;m with you. I'm praying that he gets that opportunity for the sake of America and "making it GREAT again."

He's "The MAN with the PLAN."

[Duchess47]

I would bet my net worth (which unfortunately isn’t all that much) that he has his team all picked out and already working. They will hit the ground running on Jan. 20, 2017.

[FourPeas]

Trump’s as thin-skinned as Obama when it comes to criticism.

[dangus]

Trump is least electable,except for Bush, Graham, etc. Its hard to tell because he may bring out people who are otherwise not likely to vote, but most likely voter models say he’d be easier to beat

[VideoDoctor]

They will hit the ground running on Jan. 20, 2017.

Whatever your net worth is you would definitely IMPROVE it with such a bet.

Trump is to Obama what Mt. Everest is to Death Valley.

[LS]

Absolutely not. But I do believe the GOPe right now is doing everything they can (probably not much?) to help Cruz as he is their only hope to prolonge things enough to sneak Rubio in.

[Duchess47]

You are so right.

I figure my net worth will improve substantially when Trump is elected, economy and taxes will help immensely.

[CPT Clay]

Everything they can....Puh leeeze

[M. Thatcher]

Latest CNN poll: Trump has 33% support among likely GOP caucusgoers, followed by Cruz at 20%

click

[CPT Clay]

Anybody but Jeb, Linseed, Kasich Or Paul in that order.
Pataki and Gilmore don’t count. 0 per cent.

[CPT Clay]

Texas

[CPT Clay]

compared to what percentage of Iowa republicans who are evangelical?

[Marcella]

"Ted Cruz is unique in my experience."

I also worked with our Texas State Party, but not in fundraising. Thanks for your post. Cruz had every county in Texas covered with working supporters and he now has the same magnificent organization for most counties in the country and in US possessions. He was not expected to win against Dewhurst, a millionaire, and Lt. Governor for many years. The night before the election, he still was not expected to win - he did. Let's see how Iowa goes, then on to the rest of the states.

[LS]

Oh yeah. Believe it. Their attack ads on Cruz flopped. Their "Fiornia blowback/debate winner" flopped. Their "Carson surge" flopped. Who'se left? Only Cruz can derail Trump long enough for them to bait-and-switch Rubio.

Don't misunderstand: Cruz has a solid, sizable base in IA (and several other states). But you don't get THREE articles in NRO and/or National Journal in a week praising Cruz unless there is a GOPe strategist behind it.

The GOPe only supports Cruz because they think he is easier to take out than Trump.

[CPT Clay]

I too worked that campaing, all I can say is Ted captured lightning in a bottle.

[CPT Clay]

unless there is a GOPe strategist behind it.

Proof? Names?

We still need to keep cool, mutual assured destruction in the republican primary will only elect she-who-must-not-be-named.