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A Big Night for Cruz
The Weekly Standard ^ | March 2, 2016 | Jeffrey H. Anderson

Posted on 03/02/2016 12:04:33 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet

In winning Texas by 16 points, winning Oklahoma, winning (as of this writing) Alaska, and finishing second in Alabama, Arkansas, Minnesota, and Tennessee, Ted Cruz has now solidified his grip on second place in the ‎GOP presidential race. He increased his lead over Marco Rubio in states won, votes won, and delegates won--and unless Rubio can win in Florida in two weeks (or John Kasich can win in Ohio), Cruz may soon be battling Donald Trump one-on-one (more or less) for the Republican nomination. But how can Cruz beat Trump?

The number-one thing that needs to be undone from the Obama presidency also happens to be one of the things that Trump knows the least about and on which he has the least-reliable impulses. That thing, of course, is Obamacare. It is not only the centerpiece legislation of Obama's presidency, but opposition to it unites Republican voters across the party more than perhaps any other issue. ‎ Trump is extremely suspect on it. But it's hard for Cruz to frame Trump as particularly unreliable on Obamacare when Cruz himself has yet to offer a clear plan to get to repeal. But that could potentially change overnight.

If Cruz were to advance a general-election-ready alternative, it would quench GOP voters' six-year thirst. It would widen and deepen Cruz's appeal with the GOP electorate. And it would elevate the issue of Obamacare to its rightful place in the race--to Cruz's benefit.

Anyone who thinks, like Trump does, that socialized medicine "works incredibly well" in Scotland, that he's going to "take care of everybody" and "the government's gonna pay for it," and that the remedy for Obamacare's 2,400 pages of federal largess is to lock the experts in a room and let them figure out a solution, is profoundly vulnerable on Obamacare. But no one without a general-election-ready Obamacare alternative can effectively prosecute that case.

With his big Texas win in hand, perhaps Cruz will now decide to up the ante on Obamacare. If he does, it could change the dynamics of the race overnight.


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Extended News; Political Humor/Cartoons; US: Alaska; US: Oklahoma; US: Texas
KEYWORDS: 2016election; alaska; amnestypimpsonfr; banalltrumpbashers; billiejokristol; billiekristol; billkristol; billybobkristol; billykristol; cnsrvtvtreehouse; concerntroll; concerntrollalert; concerntrolls; considerthesource; cruz; cuckservatives; election2016; enoughalready; erickerickson; glennbeck; huffingtonpost; huffpo; inyourheadrentfree; jeffreyhanderson; marklevin; megynkelly; nationalreview; ntsa; oklahoma; pinkstain; pinkstate; politico; presidentdonaldtrump; puffho; puffingtonhost; redstate; redstategathering; richlowry; rogerailes; rubio; sarahpalin; stupideveryday; stuporwednesday; sundance; supertuesday; tedcruz; texas; theweeklystandard; trump; weeklystandard; williamkristol; zotalltrumpbashers
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To: Lucky9teen

This is great and thanks.

Although Trump now has 319 a Delegates and Rubio has 110.


61 posted on 03/02/2016 12:37:24 PM PST by Enlightened1
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

I love these articles.
2nd place is as good as first.
3rd place is a real momentum indicator.

Losing more than you win is really winning if you just look deep enough.


62 posted on 03/02/2016 12:37:32 PM PST by BlueNgold (May I suggest a very nice 1788 Article V with your supper...)
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To: MNJohnnie
So losing 9 out of 12 is now “a big night”?

It can be if it convinces the non-trump people to rally around Ted Cruz. The problem is that Ted is disliked by the establishment, which in an attraction for me. On the other hand, Ted dislikes the establishment more than Trump so he ain't getting out. So Trump wins with a plurality with the help of winner take all states. This why Trump held that presser last night to rally the party. That was a good move for him, which in my unbiased opinion. I am surprise more Trump supporters haven't caught on to it.

63 posted on 03/02/2016 12:37:40 PM PST by 11th Commandment ("THOSE WHO TIRE LOSE")
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To: Jim Noble

Cruz’s road is much harder now. I don’t see him winning Florida.......Louisiana is Saturday, Mississippi, Maine, Nebraska, Kansas....then North Carolina, Ohio, Illinois, Colorado, Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Conneticut, Rhode Island, Washington, California, Arizona, New Mexico.
I will give you Utah, MAYBE Nebraska. The rest will go to Trump.


64 posted on 03/02/2016 12:40:39 PM PST by napscoordinator
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To: GilGil

Discussion? You won’t get it....unless it is filled with the usual B/S spin and lies that Cruz tried to explain both of those sell out disasters away with.


65 posted on 03/02/2016 12:42:50 PM PST by bobby.223 (Retired up in the snowy mountains of the American Redoubt and it's a great life!)
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To: Luke21

Of course because it is ridiculous to claim victory when you lose 75% of the primaries.

This is where Team Cruz is completely poltically tone deaf. This sort of arrogance fires up the true belivers, it does nothing to attack anyone you need to switch to move towards your campaign.


66 posted on 03/02/2016 12:43:26 PM PST by MNJohnnie ( Tyranny, like Hell, is not easily conquered)
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To: MNJohnnie

LOL! You beat me to it.


67 posted on 03/02/2016 12:46:51 PM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: diamond6
Actually, I believe he picked up 209 delegates last night, which was only about 30 less than Trump.

I just was looking at Foxnews' Election Central site.

Alaska- 12 del.

Oklahoma- 14 del.

Texas- 99 del.

I hope he has more :)

68 posted on 03/02/2016 12:50:26 PM PST by MAKOTHEDOG
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To: MNJohnnie

“So losing 9 out of 12 is now “a big night”?”

Under conservative liberalism, everyone gets to “win.” There can be no “loosers!”
It’s the Dan Rather Syndrome. Everything is fake, but accurate!


69 posted on 03/02/2016 12:52:03 PM PST by vette6387 (Obama can go to hell!)
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To: SandRat

“Come November, I’m still voting for CRUX! Even if I have to write in.”

Sure hope there aren’t too many “mental pygmies” like you come November! It would really be o.k. with me if guys who “think” like you had to live under Hillary and the rest of us didn’t. Sadly though people like you can enslave your fellow countrymen, and that’s a disgrace.


70 posted on 03/02/2016 12:55:09 PM PST by vette6387 (Obama can go to hell!)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Yes and that’s all folks. What else does Cruz think he’s going to win? Fl? OH?


71 posted on 03/02/2016 1:06:44 PM PST by Georgia Girl 2 (The only purpose of a pistol is to fight your way back to the rifle you should never have dropped)
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To: vette6387

Sure hope there aren’t too many “mental pygmies” like you come November! It would really be o.k. with me if guys who “think” like you had to live under Trump and the rest of us didn’t. Sadly though people like you can enslave your fellow countrymen, and that’s a disgrace.


72 posted on 03/02/2016 1:11:33 PM PST by Echo4C
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To: qman

#NEVERTRUMP

Rondal Reagan has words for you.

“A man who is 75-80% on my side is a valued Freind and Ally, not my enemy”.

I know this falls on deaf ears at Team CRuzbut the fact remains, We are a Constitutional Republic that rests on the notion that the people’s Representatives in Government know how to compromise and negotiate.

This notion that Cruz will ride into DC and dictate his 100%er terms to everyone else there is simply wishful thinking.


73 posted on 03/02/2016 1:11:35 PM PST by MNJohnnie ( Tyranny, like Hell, is not easily conquered)
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To: Echo4C

Rondal Reagan has words for you.

“A man who is 75-80% on my side is a valued Friend and Ally, not my enemy”.

I know this falls on deaf ears at Team CRuzbut the fact remains, We are a Constitutional Republic that rests on the notion that the people’s Representatives in Government know how to compromise and negotiate.

This notion that Cruz will ride into DC and dictate his 100%er terms to everyone else there is simply wishful thinking.

BTW, you a prime example of why Cruz is losing. Thinking you can scream insult at people who do not share your candidate worship views and them expect them to start supporting your candidate is the tactics of poltical morons.


74 posted on 03/02/2016 1:13:37 PM PST by MNJohnnie ( Tyranny, like Hell, is not easily conquered)
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To: Georgia Girl 2

Sarah Palin endorsed Trump, yet Cruz won Alaska.


75 posted on 03/02/2016 1:14:06 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet (TED CRUZ 2016)
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To: AdmSmith; AnonymousConservative; Arthur Wildfire! March; Berosus; Bockscar; cardinal4; ColdOne; ...
Image and video hosting by TinyPic

"Yeah, and I have
a big heart.
Death to America!"


76 posted on 03/02/2016 1:15:48 PM PST by SunkenCiv (Here's to the day the forensics people scrape what's left of Putin off the ceiling of his limo.)
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To: MAKOTHEDOG
Currently Delegate count

Trump 316

Cruz 226

Rubio 110

Kaisch 25

Carson 8

https://www.google.com/search?q=GOP+Delegate+count&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8#eob=m.09c7w0/R/3/short/m.09c7w0/

77 posted on 03/02/2016 1:15:58 PM PST by MNJohnnie ( Tyranny, like Hell, is not easily conquered)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet


Cruz

UNTRUSTWORTHY

Alumni, roommates, law clerks, former staffers in the George W. Bush campaign and White House (and the president himself), members of Congress and others who have known Cruz — lots and lots of people all consider him socially awkward, nasty, dishonest a blatant apple-polisher and all-around creepy guy. You can write off a few of these critics as jealous of his success, or liberal antagonists, but all of them? There is something badly amiss here. Cruz, who so obviously lacks emotional intelligence, cannot recognize it, but those closest to him surely must see that something is awry...


NO SHOW FOR THE JOB HE WAS ELECTED TO DO

Cruz the senator: Heard but not seen

The Texas Republican seriously lags most of his colleagues in attending hearings and casting votes. Ted Cruz came to Washington two-and-a-half years ago pledging to be the anti-senator. But he's been more like the no-show senator. The Texas Republican seriously lags most of his colleagues in attending hearings and casting votes in what has been a Senate career long on rhetoric and short on Senate business. He's skipped the vast majority of Armed Services Committee hearings, is below-average in attendance on his other major committees and ranks 97th during the first three months of this year in showing up for roll call votes on the Senate floor. ... -Read more: Ted Cruz the senator: Heard but not seen

CRUZ WANTS TO CUT OUR SENIOR'S SOCIAL SECURITY

http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2016/01/31/this-presidential-candidate-wants-to-cut-social-se.aspx

A few of the things Cruz would like you to forget: His father fought along side Fidel Castro He wants to Cut OUR SENIORS SOCIAL SECURITY http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2016/01/31/this-presidential-candidate-wants-to-cut-social-se.aspx

Research reveals his associates and former associates refer to him as a liar, ‘oily’, player of dirty tricks, a ‘suck up’ untrustworthy and worse.

AND THIS: OMG

http://aattp.org/flashback-rafael-cruz-calls-son-ted-cruz-an-anointed-king-responsible-for-the-end-time-transfer-of-wealth/ A must read- insane.

Ted Cruz’s Father: My Son “Anointed” To “Take Control of Society”..

And he, as well as Rubio are weak on immigration and stopping the muslim invasion.




78 posted on 03/02/2016 1:16:58 PM PST by patriot08 (5th generation Texan ...(girl type))
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To: Sacajaweau
Cue the sad trombone....


79 posted on 03/02/2016 1:19:30 PM PST by Jane Long (Go Trump, go! Make America Safe Again :)
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To: 11th Commandment

Well I admit I was surprised by Trump’s move last night. Coming right on the heels of Rubio rather strident “victory speech” it really wrong footed the Rubio campaign.

It was smart politics. To trot out an old cliche, it “was Presidential”.

My question is, can he keep it up? If he can, he really is going to be hard to stop.


80 posted on 03/02/2016 1:20:47 PM PST by MNJohnnie ( Tyranny, like Hell, is not easily conquered)
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