Cruz Records Weakest Home State GOP Primary Victory in Party History

Smart Politics ^ | 3/2/16 | Eric J. Ostermeier

[Sybeck1]

Each of the 60 previous Republican presidential candidates who carried their home state did so with a larger percentage of the vote than Cruz; Cruz is one of only six who failed to reach the 50 percent mark

The Ted Cruz campaign delivered on its promise to win the Texas primary on Tuesday and then exceeded ‘expectations’ by also coming in first place in the neighboring state of Oklahoma and the Alaska caucuses.

With four victories now under his belt, Cruz will attempt to use his comparatively successful electoral track record against the remaining non-Trump candidates (Marco Rubio, John Kasich, Ben Carson) in an attempt to expedite their withdrawal from the race.

To be sure, the Texas U.S. Senator’s victory in his home state – and the most delegate rich state on the primary calendar thus far – was crucial for the Cruz campaign, and avoided an embarrassment that might have pressured him to withdraw after Super Tuesday.

While Cruz escaped that unenviable situation, his victory in Texas is decidedly shy of impressive.

In fact, by one measure, it is the least impressive home state primary victory in party history.

A Smart Politics analysis finds that Ted Cruz’s 43.8 percent showing in Texas marks the lowest support ever recorded by a Republican presidential candidate in a home state victory out of the more than five-dozen campaigns to win their home state since 1912.

Over the last 104 years since the debut of presidential primaries, Republican White House hopefuls have successfully carried their home state in a presidential primary 61 times.

Prior to Cruz’s plurality win in Texas on Tuesday, only five of these candidates failed to win a majority of the primary vote en route to their home state victory:

[greene66]

Sounded like a decent win to me. I voted for Cruz, and Cruz won, over the outsiders. That’s all that mattered to me.

[bubman]

two who were actively running!!

[wardaddy]

IN 2000 AL GORE WON 93% OF THE DEMOCRAT VOTE IN THE DEMOCRAT PRESIDENTIAL RACE PRIMARY IN HIS HOME STATE OF TENNESSEE

LAST NIGHT CRUZ WON 43% OF TEXAS GOP VOTERS IN HIS HOME STATE GOP PRIMARY

FOR COMPARISON

WILL TRUMP GET 50% OF GOP VOTE IN NY PRIMARY

WE SHALL SEE BUT IT’LL BE MOOT BY THEN

[chris37]

That is true.

The people in that state are bizarre.

[zerosix]

Last night more voters voted against Trump than for him and in the states with the largest voting pools, were open primaries permitting liberals and Democrats voting for our Primary "choice" of candidate.

Kind of reminds one of why we got McCain and Romney!!!

[Grampa Dave]

Are you getting paid by Kristol to be a ??? like him!

[wardaddy]

Did you happen to hear Cruz victory speech versus Trumps congratulations to Cruz?

Pretty telling

[Durbin]

“Are you getting paid by Kristol to be a ??? like him!”

I have no idea who Kristol is.

[deport]

Had Cruz reached the 50%, the delegate count would look significantly different.

*************

Yep the 50% thresh hold is a big game changer.

3 per each of the 36 CDs, 50%+ gets all, otherwise allocated
47 based upon statewide performance, Majority wins all otherwise allocated

108 CD
047 Statewide
155 Total

It’s a little more detail than outlined above. Click the following link for details.

http://www.texasgop.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Texas-Delegate-Selection-Process-to-GOP-Convention.pdf

[al_c]

Ah, yes … I stand corrected. Algore lost the general, not the primary. My bad.

[Durbin]

But i do love how anyone who doesn’t support trump is being paid by the establishment to be here.

[Salvation]

Ditto!

[chris37]

I saw a portion of Cruz’s speech on Fox, but I didn’t get to hear it all or listen to it word for word.

I thought it sounded pretty good, but maybe I need to listen again.

I might have expected Cruz to attack, but I’m not sure.

Whatever the case with his speech, I would like to see Trump and Cruz set aside arms at this point and team up.

This is serious, I do not want to end up with Hillary Clinton as president. I think Trump/ Cruz is a ticket that would beat her.

[Tennessee Nana]

out of 25 precincts in my very Christian/Conservative county in Tennessee, Cruz only came 2nd in 5...Rubio took 2nd place in them all but the one he won...

at one precinct Trump got 58% while Cruz got 7%..

Rubio won one county in TN out of the 99 total..He got 31% Trump 29% Cruz 25%

this in the state that voted Huckabee in 2008 and Santorum in 2012...

Cruz got shut out of a very Christian Conservative state...

[ScottinVA]

Still a win... and a very convincing one at that.

[Rational Thought]

I wonder what the percentage breakdown was between early voting and primary day voting?

[nascarnation]

There are multiple candidates with multiple states per primary year.

This year you have Rubio/Florida, Cruz/Texas, Trump/NY, Sanders/Vermont, Clinton/??? etc.

[ScottinVA]

But i do love how anyone who doesn’t support trump is being paid by the establishment to be here.

LOL!!! Yep! ... Hey, where's MY check?? ;-)

[qman]

In 2000 Al Gore lost Tennessee ‘his home state’ to W Bush.

[beandog]

I wish they’d pay me. I have a driveway that needs paving.:)