Posted on 01/08/2016 12:27:17 AM PST by 2ndDivisionVet
Senator Ted Cruz is the most interesting candidate in the US presidential race right now. As a darling of the Tea Party, in 2012, he swept into the Senate, representing Texas, having campaigned on deeply conservative principles and policies. At the time, many dismissed him as a rabble-rouser who would wind up as a less successful version of George W Bush. Now, not only is he leading in the polls in Iowa, but he has also beat out senator Marco Rubio as the dark horse of the race thus far.
Cruz has been criticised for having some of the most conservative views in the contest. Though his conservatism is rooted in a strict interpretation of the US constitution - not the modern populism that has propelled candidates like former senator Rick Santorum and former governor Mike Huckabee to call for heavy defence spending and further government interference - his extreme views on abortion and the death penalty have many questioning if he can appeal to moderate Republicans, let alone independents.
Despite these views, however, Cruz has found support in some of the most unlikely places. Alan Dershowitz, the famous liberal law professor at Harvard, said of Cruz: "One of the sharpest students I had... I've had 10,000 students over my 50 years at Harvard... he has to qualify among the brightest."
During his career, Cruz has worked as both a law clerk to Supreme Court justice William Rehnquist, as well as the solicitor general of Texas; a job which led him to argue several cases in front of the Supreme Court himself. His experience easily pegs him as the most knowledgeable candidate on state and individual rights, a helpful title to hold when vying for conservative votes.
With a few obvious exceptions - including his anti-immigration stance and support for building a wall at the Mexican border - many of Cruz's policy proposals adopt progressive conservatism, meaning they rest more on evidence than ideology. He strays from the pack when the facts are clear, evidenced just this week when, according to the Wall Street Journal, he became "the first leading presidential candidate to oppose the federal Renewable Fuel Standard" - a farming handout that is protected heavily by the agricultural lobby.
When the TV debates kicked off, many thought Rubio was the one to watch: moderate, charismatic, with both "grassroots" and "establishment" likability. But Cruz has come out far ahead in Iowa and, if the polls are to be believed, he will be determined the winner in that state's caucus in just a matter of weeks.
My bet is that Rubio still has a small edge on Cruz to secure the Republican nomination. While the Iowa caucuses play a pivotal role for under-performing candidates, for whom it is the last chance to stay in the race, its voters are very socially conservative and have failed to choose the candidate that resonates most with the rest of the party in recent years.
But this is still anyone's race, and Cruz's prospects are looking up. If he wins Iowa, the feat will deliver a crushing blow to Donald Trump and potentially trigger the billionaire's downfall. Trump's main pull is that he's a "winner" - when he's not winning anymore, his campaign will inevitably decline.
When it does, someone will reap the lost votes. Six months ago, Cruz seemed like an after-thought; today, he may be peaking at just the right moment.
I would also argue most of the “Reagan Democrats” don’t exist anyone. Reagan put together that coalition over 35 years ago. The Democrats who switched to Reagan in 1980 have either permanently switched parties years ago and are now Reagan Republicans, or they are now deceased. There are very few conservative blue-collar Democrats left. They’ve virtually become an endangered species in the south, for example.
Thanks. I will absorb your good information. I am also both fiscally and socially conservative. I was raised a Catholic and was a good altar boy. However, I met my wife in a evangelical church, where we were married. I have stayed with that congregation since.
Dictatorship for our times.
General Mao ZeDonald Trump 2016 !
Rush stated a few days ago on his show that most of Trump’s support is coming from blue collar Democrats, if anything Trump will turn states purple or blue.
Bingo !
Nothing to see here.
Most of Trump’s support is coming from Democrats.... Rush confirmed just that on his show the other day.
It’s totally absurd to think Donald Trump is a conservative, but he has many sheeple fooled.
And yet ?
We have Freepers here as Trump supporters celebrating that they have heard even unionist are supporting Trump.
Trump seems to be pretty successful at turning FReepers into democrats.
The Citizens United ruling was pretty popular here 6 or 8 months ago but today the mere mention of PACs turns FReepers into slobbering Harry Reid clones raving on about the Koch Brothers.
Support for closed primaries has always been pretty standard at FR but now that there is a fantasy that democrats want to vote for Trump out of the goodness of their hearts, they don’t want anyone being forced to vote for the same party in both primary and general election.
Now we’re kissing the butt of the most marxist of unions because St Donald wants to snuggle up to the SEIU.
Trump is the candidate of continued cultural degradation and the simpletons who vote for him deserve everything they get.
Donald Trump’s poll numbers, a Urban myth....
Most of his Entertainment Campaign Shows are in Urban areas and big cities where most liberals, Democrats live... What does that tell you ?
Here today gone tomorrow websites declar Trump has no chance. Maybe I will think for myself.
Like minds think alike, I bet many of Ted Cruz’s supporters have came to that same conclusion without even talking to each other about it..
And it’s not parroting what someone else said..
I look at 12 and the fickleness of the right. He might win. But not with current numbers. Even if they are genuine. I have watch so called conservatives flip flop like Kerry across several candidates during the last few elections. “WE” collectively speaking can’t be trusted to stand on anything for long.
People can get as pissed as they want at me saying it. the facts of history show it. Look at the numbers. week to week they swung all over the map. People say this election is different. They always say that. Without fail. Every election is the most important ever and a loss is really the end of the world this time just like last time and the time before and...
When people stand on something for more than a couple months Ill believe they are serious about fixing this mess. So far it’s more ‘anything but the most conservative guy” and canabalizing each other for sport. Just like Palin.
I’ve said this stuff for years. It’s been proven right time and again. Big show and midterm. I don’t see the trend changing because this time is just like all the times before.
Would not be surprised at all that a lot of those TRUMP supporters are radical Feminist who’s soul purpose is to infiltrate conservative institutions and Conservative political forums like this to cause chaos.
But they are being exposed and weeded out as time passes by.
We win by the sheer fact that we are standing and exist.
LOL
Celebrity mania doesn't translate into votes. Who knew!
% 40 of Trump’s following is not eligible to vote ?
So he has % 40 of the Illegal Forgieners vote locked up ?
A Trump supporter “ You, you, you Ted Cruz supporters ! You snobs ! “ ..... Sarcasm...
But yet ?
It’s liberals and feminists that champion getting a education all the time while calling us Conservatives “ Neaderhals “ ....
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