Thanks for listing the most important qualifications.
Cruz - 2016.
We need the candidate who is most fearless in fighting for conservative principles, who will not back down, who is the best communicator of constitutional issues, who is the most intelligent.
The final one we can simply throw out as nonsense. Both Cruz and Walker are intelligent.
Most fearless in fighting for conservative principles has to be Walker, not Cruz. Cruz is in a very comfortable position politically, so it's easy to take very public stands. He's interested in forwarding his career and, when compared to other freshmen Senators, is a household name already.
Fearless is having your family and children threatened with harm and death by insane union stooges. Keep in mind that the Dane County Sheriff, a Democrat, let them run wild in Madison. It was very scary for Walker and his family. The threats were serious.
While Cruz is courageous and I'm delighted with his stands, he hasn't faced the kind of in-your-face Democrat threats in a Democrat stronghold and still come out the winner that Walker has. Walker made his changes stick. He's done something permanent.
Not backing down is foolish. e.g. See Obama. It's also undefinable and not defendable. This is a long game and you'll have to push and compromise and push some more to move the ball down the court. Has Cruz not backed down? I think he has and that's the smart move to make. You have to live to fight another day.
Best communicator of constitutional issues. I like Mike Lee the best here out of all three, but both Cruz and Walker are good communicators of Constitutional values. Cruz is always speaking to the choir, but his interviews for general audiences are level-headed and firm. He's done well there. Walker has done the same things and effected real, permanent change in Wisconsin.
Net, net, net Walker is the better candidate against any Democrat and the one most likely to defeat retreads like Romney and Jeb. Cruz splits the party and elects a Democrat. That's the sad reality. He's better in the Senate. He won't be able to beat the machine of Jeb/Romney in fundraising or in pulling in the Establishment.
Walker is a good compromise candidate that can unite the entire party - pull conservatives in and reassure the mushies like the CoC and RINOs - that's critical in beating the Dems. A Gov/Gov or Gov/Legislator ticket wins in 2016. Walker is the best choice right now.