Ted Cruz Just Launched His Iowa Campaign

National Journal ^ | January 24, 2015 | Tim Alberta and Shane Goldmacher

[2ndDivisionVet]

The Texas conservative and his team are trying to lock down a state director for his White House run.

DES MOINES -- Ted Cruz's presidential campaign​ in Iowa is unofficially underway.

The Texas senator and his lieutenants have been making calls to top Iowa activists and consultants for the past two weeks, multiple Republican sources told National Journal, hoping to lock down a state director for his White House campaign.

Cruz has not yet made that critical hire, the sources said.

But he's making other moves in this first nominating state.

At the end of a fiery speech here Saturday to the Iowa Freedom Summit, Cruz instructed his cheering audience to send a text message with the word "Constitution" to the number 33733. Iowans all over the auditorium could be seen whipping out their cell phones and punching keys. Within moments, anyone who sent the text got this reply: "Together let's bring bold, clear leadership to America." The message included a link: " tedcruz.org."

It was an innovative way to collect contact information from masses of committed Iowa conservatives. It also erased any remaining doubts about Cruz's intention to run for president -- even if he downplayed the move, with a smile, when asked about it after his speech.

"What we're doing is, we're working to build a grassroots army in Iowa and all across the country," Cruz said. "Because the only way we're going to turn this country around -- it's not going to come from Washington. It's got to come from the American people. "

Judging from his performance Saturday, Cruz won't have trouble recruiting Iowans for his "army."

The Texas senator received a rock-star reception from the conservative crowd, which began cheering upon the first mention of his name. He delivered a speech full of conservative objectives – "repeal Obamacare" and "abolish the IRS," for instance – that was interrupted repeatedly by applause.

He suggested taking the 110,000 current employees of the IRS and sending them instead to guard the southern border. "Somewhat jokingly," he said of the plan. (The side benefit, he laughed, would the agents would scare away would-be illegal immigrants.)

Most notably, Cruz positioned himself to the right of all his potential rivals in the 2016 field. He warned the audience that all of the Republican contenders would fashion themselves as true conservatives when they are not.

"Talk is cheap," he said of his fellow Republicans. He then drew from the Bible – as he did elsewhere in the speech – saying, "The Word tells us, 'You will know them by their fruit.'" Many in the audience knowingly murmured the words along with him.

"Show me where you stood up and fought," Cruz challenged potential rivals on issue after issue, from Obamacare to gay marriage to the Common Core education standards.

The theme of Cruz's speech was "The Miracle of America" -- a message the senator was road-testing as a potential 2016 campaign slogan.

The message, as delivered here, touched on everything from promoting upward mobility to defending religious liberties to advocating a muscular U.S. foreign policy. Cruz told the crowd that "each of us have seen miracles every day," and shared with the evangelical audience how his father left him and his mother many years ago, only to become a Christian and come back to the family.

Cruz promised the crowd that even though times are tough in America, a "miracle" could be on the horizon. He said the country's current challenges are surmountable when considering the historic triumphs over Britain in the Revolutionary War and the Nazis in World War II.

"We have done it before," Cruz exclaimed. "We can do it again!"

[proust]

Cruz is going to take on the establishment, right?

...his wife's occupation shows that he's not really an outsider.

[1010RD]

Putting down Walker doesn’t build up Cruz. It’s foolish.

Walker is a great conservative and so intelligent he outsmarted the Dems in a Dem state and won reelection three times in four years. You’ll have to dig to find a comparable for Cruz.

Walker’s a great communicator:

http://wowway.net/news/read/category/AP%20Online%20Top%20Political%20Short%20Headlines/article/the_associated_press-walker_tells_iowa_crowd_of_go_big_and_go_bold_atti-ap

http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2015/01/carson_walker_wow_the_crowd_at_iowa_freedom_summit.html

http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2015/01/24/scott-walker-goes-big-and-bold-at-iowa-freedom-summit/

http://legalinsurrection.com/2015/01/scott-walker-2016-begins-today-wi-governor-crushes-freedomsummit/

http://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/elections/presidential/caucus/2015/01/24/iowa-freedom-summit-fast-facts/22293401/

Why help Jeb Bush, Mitt Romney and the RINO crowd by wounding a solid conservative with lies and misinformation?

[SoConPubbie]

Walker has top experience fighting for conservative principles at the local level. Cruz as top experience fighting for conservative principles at the national level.

This is key!

In spite of the false mantra that the executive experience of being a Governor makes one better prepared to be POTUS, which we have multiple historical points of proof that is not so, the truth is that Senator Cruz already has much more more national level experience than Governor Walker.

[SoConPubbie]

Putting down Walker doesn’t build up Cruz. It’s foolish.

No one is putting down Walker by talking about what he has done or standing him up next to Ted Cruz and comparing them to each other. Far from it.

You're letting your emotions get in the way of a logical discussion of a comparison of the relative merits of two potential GOP POTUS candidates.

[Chauncey Uppercrust]

EXCELLENT

[SoConPubbie]

...his wife's occupation shows that he's not really an outsider.

So?

They tried to smear Christ as a wine-bibber because he hung out with sinners and publicans:

Mathew 11: 18-19

18 For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He hath a devil. 19 The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners.

Judge a man/woman by his actions, not the people he associates with. If you judge Ted Cruz by his actions, you cannot find a better candidate, from a conservative perspective among the ranks of the potential GOP POTUS candidates. He stands head and shoulders above the rest of them

Guilt by association is such a penny-ante slimy debating trick.

CRUZ or LOSE!

[FreeReign]

Putting down Walker doesn’t build up Cruz. It’s foolish. Walker is a great conservative and so intelligent he outsmarted the Dems in a Dem state and won reelection three times in four years. You’ll have to dig to find a comparable for Cruz.

You just did exactly what you complained about. Don't be hypocritical.

Why help Jeb Bush, Mitt Romney and the RINO crowd by wounding a solid conservative with lies and misinformation?

I believe Cruz is a better communicator than Walker. Don't lie by calling what I said a "lie".

[Balding_Eagle]

Your were belittling him yesterday.

Perhaps you’ve stopped, which is as it should be, and we can just move on.

[1010RD]

So presidential candidates with national experience are best?

Obama, Kerry, Algore, Hillary... the hits just keep on coming.

[1010RD]

Walker’s a better conservative candidate. He’ll prove it during the primaries.

[1010RD]

Cruz is a top communicator. Walker, not so much.

I gave you proofs that you're wrong about Walker's communications abilities.

Walker's a top communicator.

Cruz is a top communicator.

The science is settled, FRiend. Enjoy your Sunday.

[1010RD]

Why tear down Walker to build up Cruz? That’s weak.

Walker’s an excellent candidate and super intelligent. He’s done the hardest thing a conservative can do, win in a Dem state. He did it not once, but three times in four years.

Don’t disparage a good man. It harms your cause.

http://wowway.net/news/read/category/AP%20Online%20Top%20Political%20Short%20Headlines/article/the_associated_press-walker_tells_iowa_crowd_of_go_big_and_go_bold_atti-ap

[SoConPubbie]

Walker’s a better conservative candidate. He’ll prove it during the primaries.

No he isn't and No, he won't. That horse already left the barn when Walker started moderating himself and his positions and running away from the conservative fight when he decided to run for POTUS:

Scott Walker to tea partiers: Let’s focus on taking out Democrats, not our fellow Republicans

Scott Walker Says Gay Marriage Ban is Part of 'a Healthy Balance' of Anti-Bias Laws in Wisconsin: VIDEO

Scott Walker: Gay Marriage Fight Is 'Over In Wisconsin'

Walker Says Legislature Shouldn't Focus On Right-To-Work Bill Next Session

You haven't seen Cruz walk away from the conservative fight.

CRUZ or LOSE!

[Balding_Eagle]

Why tear down Walker to build up Cruz? That’s weak.

The tearing down is a symptom.

The posters who are reduced to the tear down do so because they don't really believe in their own candidates abilities.

It's not more complicated than that.

[1010RD]

Walker stated emphatically that Wisconsin has a constitutional amendment defining marriage as between one man and one woman. That’s from the video.

He commented on an anti-gay discrimination law passed thirty years ago by Democrats.

Stop disparaging a great man. It hollows your support for Cruz.

If Walker is the nominee, Cruz will absolutely support him. If Cruz is our nominee, Walker will do the same.

Stop being petty and silly. You’re spinning like a lieberal here.

[1010RD]

Spot on.

[FreeReign]

Why tear down Walker to build up Cruz? That’s weak.

I didn't "tear down" Walker.

Don't misrepresent what said.

[FreeReign]

The tearing down is a symptom. The posters who are reduced to the tear down do so because they don't really believe in their own candidates abilities. It's not more complicated than that.

Go find such a person who "tears down" and post to them.

[Balding_Eagle]

I have

[FreeReign]

You and the other poster came on to a Cruz thread saying that Walker is the best candidate.

I responded with a comparison.

I even said that Walker was a top fighter for conservatism at the local level. On other threads I've even said that I like Walker a lot and if it wasn't for Cruz that I would seriously consider Walker.

Yet you think I'm tearing Walker down. As I said go find somebody who is tearing Walker down and don't waste my time.