Video - https://www.dropbox.com/s/iitfyfrmmzac7i9/Crusin.mp4?dl=0
Posted on 09/24/2015 9:01:24 PM PDT by VinL
Sen. Ted Cruz heads into this weekend’s Values Voter Summit looking to capture his third straight straw poll victory at the annual gathering of social conservatives, a victory that would send the message he’s their pick for channeling their anger with Washington into votes in the GOP presidential primary.
The freshman Texas Republican arrives having led a fight in the Senate to stop hundreds of millions of dollars in taxpayer money going to Planned Parenthood next year. He lost, but social conservatives were happy he took the stand.
“I have never seen Ted back down,” said Tony Perkins, head of the Family Research Council, host of the three-day summit, who said Mr. Cruz enjoys a strong relationship with social conservatives.
“He understands the group and he has also established a track record in this city of challenging the establishment. He is a fighter and they know that and they like that,” Mr. Perkins said.
Mr. Cruz is one of eight GOP candidates slated to appear at the summit, which is expected to draw more than 2,600 activists from around the country.
Also speaking are businessman Donald J. Trump, the current GOP front-runner, retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio and South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham.
The event will focus on the cultural issues that social conservatives hold dear, and is expected to feature calls to defend religious liberty from the courts and the executive branch.
Kim Davis, the Kentucky county clerk who refused to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples, citing her Christian faith, will receive a “Cost of Discipleship Award.”
Mr. Cruz won the 2013 summit straw poll amid his push to halt funding for Obamacare — an effort that led the government into a 16-day shutdown that only ended after GOP leaders relented and agreed to pass a spending bill that didn’t target the health law.
This year, he had demanded the Republican majorities in the House and Senate to use the spending process to block money from Planned Parenthood, in the wake of videos that critics say show officials from that organization negotiating the sale of tissue from aborted fetuses for research purposes.
The Senate rejected his plan Thursday, voting 52-47 to reject a spending bill that withheld money for Planned Parenthood.
“Is it so impossible with majorities in both houses for Republicans to win a fight on anything?” Mr. Cruz said Thursday.
Mr. Cruz captured 42 percent of the straw poll vote in 2013, followed by Mr. Carson and Mr. Santorum, who each won 13 percent of the vote. In 2014, Mr. Cruz won with 25 percent of the vote, followed by 20 percent for Mr. Carson and 12 percent for Mr. Huckabee.
Mr. Trump, Mr. Carson and businesswoman Carly Fiorina lead the field, harnessing an intense anti-Washington sentiment among GOP primary voters. But some political analysts, including at the University of Virginia’s Center for Politics, are questioning how long the current leaderboard will last.
In a breakdown of the race released Thursday, the think tank listed Mr. Trump, Mr. Carson and Mrs. Fiorina as “Longshot Frontrunners” and argued that rivals such as former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, Ohio Gov. John Kasich, Mr. Rubio and Mr. Cruz are assembling campaigns that are better constructed for the long haul.
“People still like Governor Huckabee,” he said. “They still like Senator Santorum. I still hear buzz about Bobby Jindal, but they are going to need some sort of game changer to put them into the upper bracket [with Mr. Cruz] and give them the fuel needed to sustain it.”
If Cruz wins it will because the GOPe stuff the ballot box.
-:)— Don’t think there’s any GOP-e in this crowd.
I am just getting in before the Trumpets do. ;-)
Hahahaha! I just sent Ted $100 in your honor.
There are things I like about Huckabee and Jindal--both are strong on the social issues and religious liberty--but I think there is little to no chance either wins the nomination. Cruz remains my top choice.
It looks like they draw straws to have just enough Repubs cross over to defeat something like this while the rest pretend to be moral.
Be nice- they’re future Cruz voters.
It’s somewhat instructive to see who speaks at the Value Voters Summit and who doesn’t.
Those speaking:
Trump
Carson
Rubio
Cruz
Huckabee
Santorum
Jindal
Graham
Those not speaking:
Pataki
Fiorina
Christie
Kasich
Paul
Bush
Although there are a few that are problematic (e.g., Graham in the first group), the lists do provide a broad general breakdown of the candidates.
If Cruz wins it will because the GOPe stuff the ballot box.
Surely you jest.. some of the GOPe may be indicted with a Cruz Presidency..
Their scared spitless of Ted.. as are the Crony’s(capitalists).. the PIGGY BANK will be smashed..
AND ANY democrat with the sense god gave a goat..
Special joy will be HAD in investigating the RINOs..
I’m not familiar with this summit. Are there die-hard Conservatives there? Are they the majority of attendees?
If so, I could see Cruz doing quit well there.
Otherwise I’d be more inclined to agree with you.
Here’s Ted’s addressed formal letter to Secretary of State John Kerry and to the heads of the Justice Department, Homeland Security Department, and the FBI seeking detailed information on how this decision was made and especially on the security screening practices used that would assure the safety of the American people.
Ted stated this is not an immigration issue bringing Syrians here....it’s a National Security issue....
http://www.cruz.senate.gov/files/documents/Letters/20150923_SyiranRefugeeLetter.pdf
We’re #6!-We’re #6!-We’re #6!-We’re #6!-We’re #6!
By what calculus?.. Cruz voters are almost never polled..
what about all the OTHER ONES...
The Values Voters Summit is probably the preeminent gathering of social conservatives each year. The speakers are typically either prominent hard-nosed social conservatives or politicians claiming to be social conservatives.
Thanks for the mention.
Jindal is strong on lowering taxes, economy, jobs, and fighting corruption too. The post-Katrina recovery effort in Jindal’s 7 years is nothing short of astonishing. I was there for the anniversary last month.
Flood remediation, pumps, bridges, major public works projects neglected for decades while public money was siphoned off to corruption— have finally gotten done since he’s been in office. He actually reduced government spending in Louisiana by 26% and canned thousands of useless government workers. Enacted strong ethics rules. Attracted $66 billion in new private investment; more people are employed in the private sector than ever in LA history. Welfare benefits have a 5 year lifetime cap. He fought Obama administration and won, to get Louisiana a share in offshore oil royalties.
But for the 10th anniversary of Katrina, all you saw on TV was 10 year old footage of the 9th ward underwater.
Why does this article keep saying “Mr. Carson” instead of “Dr. Carson”?
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