Ted Cruz Says He 'Effectively Tied' Marco Rubio in South Carolina's Republican Primary

ABC ^ | 2/21/2016

[BlackFemaleArmyColonel]

Texas Sen. Ted Cruz said he "effectively tied" Florida Sen. Marco Rubio for second place in South Carolina's Republican primary, as the two senators were separated by a little more than 1,000 votes, but both finished far behind front-runner Donald Trump.

Despite only winning one of the early voting states so far, Cruz believes his combined results show he is the "only one strong conservative remaining in this race who can win" the Republican presidential nomination.

"Our game plan from day one was do well in the first four states and consolidate conservatives to go forward into Super Tuesday," Cruz told ABC News' George Stephanopoulos Sunday on "This Week." "I think we're positioned ideally to do exactly that."

What we're doing -- systematically, nationally -- is unifying conservatives," Cruz added.

Cruz, who finished first in Iowa and third in New Hampshire, said his base remains strong going forward, especially among young Republican voters.

"We won young people in South Carolina," Cruz said. "We also won young people in Iowa."

Cruz further used his first place win in Iowa, a state in which he said he had "heavy hitters" behind his campaign, to distance himself from Rubio, who had strong endorsements in South Carolina but failed to win the state.

"All the establishment circled their wagons around Marco and yet he still only came in second after his campaign promised they were gonna win the state," he said. "We won Iowa with a big margin."

While Cruz acknowledged there was "no doubt" the attacks he and Rubio continue to level against each other are helping Donald Trump, he said that his campaign is the "only one campaign that has beaten or can beat" the real estate mogul.

[jimbo807]

They are not in a good place. Can’t even win evangelicals. Not according to plan and they are struggling.

[The Ghost of FReepers Past]

Wow, that must have hurt. I can almost see you burst into flames you typed it.

You must be a Trump supporter. I recognize you by your hate and snottiness.

[SteveSCH]

What I mean he’ knows what he’s doing moving forward.

Obvious going head to head with Trump was the mistake... Rubio was the danger.

[COUNTrecount]

Cruz was effectively ineffective,very.

[gg188]

Texas Sen. Ted Cruz said he "effectively tied" Florida Sen. Marco Rubio for second place in South Carolina's Republican primary, as the two senators were separated by a little more than 1,000 votes, but both finished far behind front-runner Donald Trump.

I think to any normal person, this is troublesome. Fast and loose with the truth. Shows the level of respect the person has for truth. It really reveals his mind.

[jimbo807]

Ted would have to agree that Gore effectively won in 2000.

[PghBaldy]

Cruz first went to Iowa mere months after becoming Senator (July 2013). He really should have done much better than he did.

[CAluvdubya]

Teddy is the boy that cried wolf. Teddy has told so many bald face lies his own legalization position and about Trump and Carson that nobody believes him when he tells the truth about Rubio being a liar, in favor citizenship amnesty and an establishment sellout.

Which is a shame because Rubio needs to be attacked from Trump and Cruz. If Cruz was smart, he'd propose this to Trump.....at least until after the SEC.

[jimbo807]

Why would anyone make a deal with weasel boy Ted? You know he’s going to back stab you.

[Jane Long]

LOLOL....Participation Trophy!!!

Love it.

(I still can’t believe he’d say this. Why cry???)

[Jane Long]

;-)

Funny!

[Jane Long]

I don’t think Trump trusts CRuz, at all.

[jimbo807]

Nor does he need to make a deal with him. Trump is calling the shots now.

[heights]

If Beck can starve for a week, maybe Cruz can have won South Carolina!

[Liz]

REALITY CHECK SC was a Cruz must-win because if he can/t win SC, what state is he going to win? The upcoming SEC isn/t that different. Southern states are southern states.

IMHO, Cruz/s Ceaucescu Moment was when he brazenly responded to Donald/s cease and desist letter by saying he/d make sure the offensive ads would run even more frequently.

His mask slipped.....he showed then what a cocksure SOB he really is.

SC counties Map. Cruz lost every county, and did not get a single delegate.

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

Still talking the big talk after his big loss. Yet, we know he/s full of dirty tricks.....and he/s in deep w/ the Big Money Boys...so I/m pretty sure they/ll provide the money he needs....under the table.

[Patton@Bastogne]

.


As an Aerospace Mechanical Engineer, I "paint by the numbers" ...

The vote tally difference between Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio was 0.20 percent ... a minor difference ...

a "statistical tie" in the eyes of folks who work with numbers (such as engineers, navigators etc) ...


That being said, as a staunch Ted Cruz Florida campaigner, I'm nevertheless compelled to congratulate Rubio (whom I despise) for his mathematical second place South Carolina finish ...



All that being said, I'll also say that it's a "mathematical certainty" that Donald Trump ...

benefited by South Carolina's open primary where many (exact number unknown)

Code Pink, 9-11 Truther Lunatics, Abortion Mill Planned Parenthood supporters and Black Lives Matter "Community Organizers" voted for ... The Donald.

And whether they openly admit it ... EVERY Donald Trump supporter (with any intelligence) quietly knows that I speak "da truth" on this subject.

Nevertheless ... my "genuine" political battlefield congratulations to Donald Trump for enlisting the Armies of Mordor to defeat "Reagan Conservatism" in South Carolina

Indeed ... as General George S. Patton, Jr. would opine ...

Victory is victory ...



Wonderfully ...ALL of America's Conservative Patriots have tasted VICTORY in South Carolina where the "unsinkable" U.S.S. Jeb Bush juggernaut was SUNK with heavy ($ 100 million) losses ...


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


Ted Cruz invested significant time (one year), money and organization in fighting to win South Carolina ...

I was personally invited to campaign there as a volunteer ...

Somehow, Ted Cruz came in third ... DEEPLY disappointing ... even though it's a statistical tie with Marco "Amnesty" Rubio ...

I would project tonight that Ted Cruz feels as badly as General Washington after one of his many Revolutionary War defeats ...

or as badly as General Eisenhower after the NAZIs kicked America's @ss at Kasserine Pass ...



Will Ted Cruz learn to effectively counter-punch to VICTORY like the U.S. Navy at the Battle of Midway ?

Ten Million still-fightin' and PRAYING Ted Cruz campaigners say "YES" !


.

[monkapotamus]

LOL!

[HoustonSam]

Out of some 320,000 votes between the two of them, 1000 is a relative difference of less than 3 tenths of one per cent. No, that is not a big spread. He and Rubio did effectively tie.

But those numbers are not the real story. The telling fact against my guy Cruz is that he lost the Evangelical vote to Trump.

[SaxxonWoods]

Here are the SC results and the final RealClearPolitics poll averages and out or under perform numbers:

.....Actual and RCP poll...
Trump 32.4 - 31.8 (+.6)
Rubio 22.4 — 18.8 (+3.6)
Cruz..22.3 — 18.5 (+3.8)
Bush..7.9 — 10.7 (-2.8)