Never again...
Posted on 11/24/2015 9:08:03 AM PST by Isara
Today's Ted Cruz news: Ted Cruz acknowledged in an early GOP debate that he might not be the candidate you want to have a beer with. "But if you want someone to drive you home," he said, "I will get the job done and I will get you home."
But beer-buddy populism is old school. New question: Would you want him at your table for Thanksgiving dinner?
CBS News and YouGov posed the question -- about Cruz and other leading presidential candidates -- to primary voters in New Hampshire, Iowa and South Carolina.
From the Dallas Morning News: "South Carolinians were most receptive to hosting Cruz, with 46 percent saying they'd save him a seat at the table. Ben Carson was the state's favorite with 60 percent.
"Iowans were less enthusiastic, with 40 percent willing to offer Cruz an invite. Carson was also Iowa's favorite, but Cruz did finish above Republicans Donald Trump (36 percent) and former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush (33 percent).
"The situation is bleaker in New Hampshire for Cruz, where he was the least appealing of the seven candidates floated as dinner guests. Only 32 percent said they'd host Cruz, while Democratic candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders from neighboring Vermont won with 55 percent."
Separately, Public Policy Polling asked the question nationally, and found that 8 percent of likely voters said they'd host Cruz over six other leading 2016 candidates. "That's better than Marco Rubio, and Bush, who tied with 6 percent. Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton topped the field with 24 percent.
"And, only 4 percent of voters polled said Cruz would be the most likely to say something inappropriate and ruin Thanksgiving Dinner, second only Rubio (1 percent).
"The leader? Donald Trump with 46 percent": Dallas Morning News.
It's not that Iowans are extraordinarily fickle. But the Thanksgiving poll question there included the opinions of Democrats as well as Republicans. Remove the Democrats and ask Iowa Republicans which candidate they'd vote for as a presidential nominee if their caucuses were held today, and the men flip positions, or so a new -- and widely watched -- poll shows.
That's right: Cruz now leads Carson in the Iowa horse race, according to a new Quinnipiac poll. And Cruz is so close behind frontrunner Donald Trump that the top position is essentially a statistical tie.
"Ted Cruz's long-anticipated Iowa surge came a step closer on Tuesday with a new poll showing him just behind Donald J. Trump and leaping ahead of Ben Carson, as terrorism and foreign policy now drive the 2016 nominating race," reports the New York Times.
"Mr. Cruz, the Republican Texas senator, was the choice of 23 percent of likely Republican caucus-goers in the new poll, from Quinnipiac University, following Mr. Trump at 25 percent and ahead of Mr. Carson at 18 percent. Senator Marco Rubio of Florida was in fourth with 13 percent. The margin of error was plus or minus four percentage points": New York Times.
ABC News has this perspective: "With less than 70 days to the Iowa Caucus, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz is seeing larger numbers at his events, increased fundraising, and a momentum that has propelled him to second place in Tuesday's Quinnipiac University poll of Iowa Republican caucus-goers. Cruz's support has doubled since the last Quinnipiac poll four weeks ago and he finds himself in a dead heat with Donald Trump for the top spot.
"'The difference over the last two or three months each time he comes to the state, it just seems like there's more excitement and people seem to be starting to understand that they have their champion in this election cycle,' Cruz's Iowa State Director Bryan English told ABC News": ABC News.
What happens when a candidate surges?
The attacks pile on.
CNN says that Cruz, a "Texas firebrand," is now "squarely in the crosshairs, dealing daily with attacks from Republicans and Democrats in a way that he shied from for much of the race. And he's punching back."
CNN offers examples, with Cruz-focused criticisms from the Democratic National Committee, a Hillary Clinton super PAC, and Republicans including Rick Santorum, Bobby Jindal (who has now left the Republican nominating race) and Jeb Bush: CNN.
My point of view exactly. What a dumb poll.
I love how you put that. The goal should be that we can enjoy life more and worry less about the government. True.
Of all the candidates I think listening to Cruz over dinner would be the most fascinating given his depth of knowledge and his eloquence. I think Carson would put me to sleep faster than the turkey would. And I can’t imagine listening to Trump.
“The only Republican I wouldn’t invite is Christie. He’d eat the whole damn Turkey!”
Huckabee and those fat kids would scarf up your dinner too.
Thanksgiving dinner?
LOL yeah, I’d happily park him in the midst of my liberal family members.
I would ask him to lead us with ‘Grace’.
Hell yes! I’d even fry another turkey for his family!
Trump and Cruz are the only two I would invite if given the chance to invite.
I would love to have Cruz and Trump at the Tgiving table. Talk about lively conversation. :-)
Never again...
LOLOL!!! {^)
LOLOLOL!!! {^)
You betcha!!!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.