Posted on 02/24/2016 8:30:17 PM PST by TigerClaws
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — The “southern firewall†Ted Cruz’s presidential campaign has been building for months appears to be crumbling under the weight of Donald Trump’s staying power and Marco Rubio’s resurgence.
The Cruz campaign told Yellowhammer Wednesday night they are pulling out of the Presidential Forum set to be held at Samford University in Birmingham on Saturday, and will not be holding any other events in Alabama ahead of election day. Senator Marco Rubio’s campaign, however, reiterated their commitment to the event.
The move is one of the most open indicators to date that Cruz has failed to pick up steam in the Bible Belt South, once believed to be his geographic stronghold and his most likely path to the nomination.
Numerous southern states and almost a quarter of the Republican delegates are up for grabs in the so called SEC Primary on March 1st.
Yellowhammer CEO Cliff Sims said Cruz’s exit from the state so close to election day is unfortunate, but not entirely unexpected.
“Decisions like this are difficult for any campaign to make, but they have to do what they think is best,†he said. “Once a campaign goes into survival mode, sometimes they have to cut their losses and move resources where they can be most effective. A candidate’s time is the most valuable resource any campaign has.â€
South Carolina Republican strategist Hogan Gidley said Cruz’s lackluster performance in his home state was the first public sign that Cruz’s southern strategy was not coming together.
“It does definitely put a dent into the manufactured reputation that Cruz is coalescing all conservatives,†he told National Review. “I think we can put an end to that myth.â€
A longtime Alabama political consultant who is not working for a presidential campaign but has seen presidential campaign polling numbers through other state-level campaigns told Yellowhammer Cruz’s path to the nomination could be disappearing.
“If Cruz — the Texan, the staunch evangelical, the anti-Washington guy — can’t win in Alabama and across the South, he can’t win,†the consultant said on condition of anonymity so he could speak freely. “I’ve seen polling in the last week that shows Cruz in third in Alabama, far behind Trump and behind Rubio, too. It might become apparent after March 1st that Cruz’s goose is cooked.â€
Senator Rubio is scheduled to be in both Birmingham and Huntsville on Saturday. Donald Trump is scheduled to be in Huntsville on Sunday. No other Republican candidates are currently scheduled to campaign in the state ahead of the March 1st primary.
Steely Dan will just have to call Teddy “Deacon Blues”.
Yep. Very sad.
I do not think any of us are happy he stumbled I think we are happy that Cruz supporters have stopped calling us idiots, stupid, uneducated mindless robots!!! Cruz supporters have been unbearable to Trump supporters !!!!
Colorado is a straw vote and no one participates in it. We won’t how Colorado goes until well after the primary is decided.
On Tuesday, Cruz will win Alaska, Arkansas, Colorado, Oklahoma, and Texas.
And maybe Tennessee.
Sorry, Cruz is going to win second place in those states? Third? Inquiring minds want to know.
"Forget it, Jake, it's the Internet."
lol!
Actually i’ve handed out a few dozen stickers to strangers that liked it and wanted to show their support ... you’re not going to win this ... just give up and join the Trump train ... you are welcome here
BOOM!
Ted, the instructions for folding can be found in the box your tent came in.
So much for the “secret army” and “ground game”. Old school politics is dead, thanks to Donald J. Trump!
Sure doesn’t look like it, poor Rub. 99 Delegates for Trumpzilla !
That is fair game for sure, but hits hard, very important why people need to weigh their words, especially when talking about the things of God. Not referring to your remarks.
Pretty much what I thought would happen from Day 1.
The Establishment H*A*T*E*S Ted Cruz and the Tea Party. A loathing, visceral, deep seated fear and hatred of losing their political power. The GOPe fear losing their power. They think they can wheel and deal with Trump, and they know they can buy off Rubio.
They hate Cruz worse than they like Trump or Rubio.
Ted Cruz - The charm of Barry Goldwater and the ethics of Richard Nixon. - GO TRUMP!!!
I think it was Lincoln who said, when told by an escaped Union soldier that the Rebs prayed every chance they got and claimed G_d was on their side,
“I think it less important that G_d is on our side as it i6s that we be on His side.”
(Or something like that since I’m pulling this out of my butt.)
Even the Nazis had ‘Gott MIT Uns’ (G-d is with us) on their belt buckles. For all the gut it did them.
Good on you for not voting Rhino.....I won’t either....and you’re correct saying that Trump hates Cruz more than Sanders Clinton or Rubio......
But I will say Trump hates anyone who stands in his way....on anything at any time or place. ...his entire campaign operates on heavy handed insults in one form or another and I have no doubt behind the scenes far worse is happening to secure his “Throne”.
“That’s a bingo!”
The total insanity with which the Cruzbots acted with after that >>HUGE<< 1 delegate win in Iowa was the Pearl Harbor.
Now that they’re getting Hiroshima-ed and Nagasaki-ed in response they don’t like it.
Too GD bad. Payback’s a bitch.
No joy from me :-(
I’m all in for Trump because I believe he is the only one who is very likely to defeat Hillary in the general.
Cruz really is in danger of losing his home state.
If he was going to have a real chance of getting the nomination he would be over 50% in Texas polling right now and he’s no where near that level.
I so wanted Ted to be Trump’s VP.... I see it as his only path to ever become the president.... and he would be a great president IMO!
I wish the fences could be mended between these two great men!
Ted is not a likable guy... who gives a s*it.
Ted has developed into a pretty dirty dealing politician... so what if he can still get the job done!
Ted’s not a pretty boy....who cares! If I wanted pretty I’d swoon over the overbearing bellboy Rubio.
I want Trump/Cruz but it doesn’t look like I will get my wish
:-(
Trump can win but he needs someone like Cruz there beside him to keep him from going overboard, to keep him drawing inside the legal lines.... he needs someone smarter than he is to help him.
We need both of these flawed men so badly! dear God please bring them together somehow.
I don’t want to see a Trump/Rubio ticket or even a Trump/Kasich ticket.... I want the Alpha Male team of Trump/Cruz .... it would scare the GOPee to death!
Cruz for SCOTUS.First he'll have to spend a couple of hours with his father and wife asking the Ouija Board what he should do until he gets the answer he wants.
NBC not required to be on the Supreme Court.Never mind NBC. Are we sure he's even a US citizen?
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