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.
I will never vote for the phony Cruz. He had no big night. After last night he has no path to win. You really think he would win the NE big delegate states? Hah, what a joke.
He is done except he is too arrogant a fool to know it.
Ted thinks he will win New York and New Jersey.
I believe you were going to pony up a million bucks for Palin. Now you don’t like her.
LOL
Show me where I said I don’t like her.
“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.”
This isn’t your thread but I will respond nonetheless. I WILL VOTE FOR THE NOMINEE OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY NO MATTER WHO THAT PERSON MAY END UP BEING! Because every one of them is infinitely better than Hillary Clinton, even the ones I don’t particularly like. By that committment, I am not going to ENSLAVE ANYIONE! The individiual with whom I was having a discussion had said he was going to WRITE IN CRUZ if Cruz weren’t the nominee. My comment stands, he/she is a mental pygmie if that what he/she does in November. So you can go join his/her circular firing squad if that’s what you want to do too. That way he/she won’t be alone!
If Rubio leaves the race his votes split Cruz/Kasich (70/30)
If Kasich leaves the race his votes go to Rubio (99%)
Now that Carson is out, his votes will split Cruz/Rubio (80/20 - maybe less now that Rubio is acting like Trump)
IF Cruz leaves the race his votes stay home.
Cruz will focus on getting Rubio’s voters to show up when he drops out and letting Rubio attack Trump in the meantime.
Trump won't get Rubio votes, Trump won't get many Cruz votes. He may get some of Kasich’s.
Let’s say we have just finished the first quarter of a football game. Halftime will be the end of March. Second half will be April through the end.
After the first quarter, The score is 32 to 22.
One team is up and the other team is down. But, it’s just the first quarter. It is not hopeless. Lot’s of teams come back from that kind of score.
But, we cannot pretend that the team with 22 is not down at this point. Neither of the teams seems able to keep the other from scoring.
Whoever’s defense rises to the occasion will probably determine victory.
Cruz was also within 2.2 points in Arkansas. Trump netted 2 more delegates than Cruz.
It wasn’t an awesome night for Cruz, but it was very good and it shows that Rubio etc... dropping out would make this a much closer contest.
Yeh that’ll happen. LOL!
You seem to be suffering from Palin Derangement Syndrome. Please seek help from a mental health professional immediately.
It would have been a great firewall if Trump had not entered the race.
Without Trump, Cruz wins the south handily.
Strategically all of the campaigns failed to think of Trump as a serious candidate and his popularity among socially conservative people continually surprises everyone.
It’s the second half, It will be interesting to see how things play out going forward. The Cruz team needs to make some adjustments and
Only Tom Cotton, from Arkansas, Voted against it.
His only endorsement so far is for Bernie Sanders (It was a joke)
That means all of the Senators supporting Trump voted for it too.
Tell us how bad they are.
He received many more delegates from the other states. He currently has 226 delegates according to FOXNews
This analysis of yours is pure make believe. There is no 2nd choice polling that shows these results. You are simply making up numbers. Pure wishful thinking on your part.
If Rubio leaves the race his votes split Cruz/Kasich (70/30) If Kasich leaves the race his votes go to Rubio (99%) Now that Carson is out, his votes will split Cruz/Rubio (80/20 - maybe less now that Rubio is acting like Trump) IF Cruz leaves the race his votes stay home.
W’s race was way different. By the time he hit Texas it was W. vs. McCain. Texas was also a little later in the primary season and W. had it pretty much wrapped up.
By this time in the contest W. lost New Hampshire, Arizona and Michigan with only one serious contender.
By your measure - using W. - Trump is doing very bad. It’s a bad measurement though.
Got it
316 delegate to 226 delegate is not really losing.
You really need to stop letting Karl Rove tell you want to think. Roves “analysis” is pure fantasy land nonsense.
Look at the board going forward. Where does Cruz win in the next 2 weeks?
He won his home town, the next door neighbor and 2 other small delegate total states by skin of the teeth margins.
Wow, Cruz is showing us some “real vote getting” power.s
That is a good deal.
Not saying Cruz is Reagan...
Not saying anyone is Reagan...
I am saying...it's not over.
And you've been here how long?
And you are here..now why?
The contest isn't over though. Until Trump gets over 1274 it wont be over.
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