Posted on 04/04/2015 12:39:47 PM PDT by VinL
Sen. Ted Cruz, pacing as he always does when making a stump speech, looked out on a room packed with people and made note of the furniture.
“The reason I’m optimistic is because we ran out of chairs,” Cruz (R-Tex.) said to the crowd at the Longbranch Hotel, some in straight-backed chairs, others massed in the back.
It’s a line Cruz would use more than once on his first trip to Iowa as a declared presidential candidate, underscoring his status as an emerging top-tier contender in the crowded 2016 race.
On a two-day, five-stop swing that took him from Sioux City to Dubuque County, Cruz was greeted by enthusiastic crowds packed into stuffy auditoriums and large ballrooms. Sporting a wireless microphone, he has honed his primary pitch to voters — it involves a lot of gesticulating — and looks more comfortable on the trail than before. He chuckles after his own jokes and a self-satisfied smile came each time the crowd applauded or shouted “Amen” after he called for the repeal of Obamacare or the Common Core education standards.
Cruz is the first major presidential contender to announce his candidacy, and he is having a moment. He has broken into the top tier of candidates, according to recent polls — including a Washington Post-ABC News survey this week showing him trailing only Jeb Bush among Republicans and GOP-leaning independents.
Cruz is also surprising many with his ability to raise money, pulling in $4 million during the first eight days of his campaign. The majority of the contributions came from small-dollar donations, while 300 donors maxed out on their contributions.
This weekend, the campaign purchased television advertising time nationally on Fox News.....
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
And it’s totally up to Jeh Johnson’s discretion as to who qualifies, so it’s anybody’s guess.
Where are you getting that?
Why the hell would the newly-created DHS have any say, it’s the Treasury that handles SS protection.
The rest are Other/Undecided.
That puts the totals at 48 TEA, 34 GOPe, and 15 "other".
As long as we do not allow the MSM to divide the right-wing votes, the Conservative candidate should get the nomination. A Cruz/Walker ticket announced early on (would Walker take the VP "demotion" extra early?) should get past Paul, Carson, and Rubio. (All 3 should get solid cabinet position considerations... Carson on SCOTUS to replace Ginsberg, please.)
(And God help us all if we fail this Primary season.)
I suspect after Cruz finishes this the data will show him in time surpassing Jeb but the media will probably not report as so when it happens...they so want Jeb and Hillary to be toe to toe. ..which there isn’t much difference between those two!
I really don’t care who Cruz puts on his ticket when the time comes because he knows what’s at stack in this win. I’m not so sure Walker would agree but then it’s far too early to tell how that might play.
Rand is going to garner some of the voters...
I am in that picture, taken last Thursday in Cedar Rapids.
GREAT! I’d still be high from it.
We Austinite Cruz fans from way back will probably be the last to see him in person... we’ll have to continue living vicariously! :)
Oh good! Where? Which one????
I had better not blow my cover.
Ok...but nice that you were there! Trust it was a grand day! ..I’m jealous!
He shouldn’t have neglected Council Bluffs!
I will only say this.
On the “Natural Born Citizen” requirement, Cruz has issues. Just like McCain did. Just like Obama does.
Why do we have so many candidates being put forward like this? Are they the only ones available?
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