Posted on 12/20/2015 7:42:33 AM PST by VinL
Donald Trump, the national front-runner, keeps his big lead in two of the three early states of New Hampshire and South Carolina, but now Texas Sen. Ted Cruz has moved past Trump into a lead of his own in Iowa.
Florida Sen. Marco Rubio remains in double digits in New Hampshire and South Carolina, and Governor Chris Christie has now shown upward movement in New Hampshire, doubling his support there in the last month.
The backdrop to all this is a mood of anxiety - both economic and personal security - pervading the GOP electorate in these early states. Nine in ten in all states feel the country is now a more dangerous and insecure place, including 95 percent of Iowa GOP voters who say that, and nine in ten feel the nation's economic system is one that hurts them instead of benefits them. Terrorism and national security are now specifically front-and-center on primary voters' minds: in Iowa, 61 percent say it is their top decision-making criteria for candidates, ahead of the economy; in New Hampshire, 66 percent cite terrorism and security ahead of 28 percent on the economy.
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(Excerpt) Read more at cbsnews.com ...
I know Cruz doesn’t have a chance. He’s lacking in personality. And his supporters are rude and only have insults to fling, nothing positive to say about him. Anyone that attracts people like that have little to offer.
Club for Growth gave $700k, that’s a fact. They want payback and that’s why he’s vague on amnesty. Even Rubio knows Cruz will pass amnesty. It takes one to spot another.
Well, if it’s possible to buy it, he will.
It’s called smarts and a superbly run campaign dearie.
Huckabee and Santorum win Iowa. Iowa likes losers lately.
Cruz gets money from Club for Growth, whether it goes through a PAC or otherwise. They are paying him to give illegals amnesty, which is why he’s been so vague on it and playing games with words (’intend’), just like you’re playing games with where the donations go.
I escaped Mexifornia and will never vote for a pro-amnesty candidate. Them getting to stay equals amnesty. It also means a huge block of democrat voters, since legal status equals citizenship shortly. That means the end of conservatism. Ironic, since Cruz supporters think they are voting for conservatism. It’s right out of 1984, or perhaps the Alinsky playbook.
Could it be that this particular group of Republican Senators deserve to be enemies.
As a person, Cruz seems engaging and thoughtful. Jeff Sessions and Mike Lee don't seem to be put off by him. And most people who've met him are pleasantly surprised by his demeanor.
Further, recall that Cruz became the de facto leader of a group of conservative House members rather early in the session, hosting Thursday night planning and pizza sessions that set the stage for the Freedom Caucus' resistance.
Finally, in the Senate, ever since Cruz forced a roll call vote that McConnell didn't want on a continuing resolution, you might note that about 20-22 other GOP Senators have tended to vote with Cruz rather than follow the McConnell-Cornyn lead. One senses that the caucus chafes under McConnell's leadership, but that he has the whip hand.
I really believe a lot of people are selling Cruz short -- reacting to a media-distorted image and flawed assessments of his potential appeal. The Xmas infomercial is proof that Cruz has a sense of humor...and the capacity to laugh at himself.
I can agree that not many republican senators are looking out for the ordinary American working people. I wish most could be replaced.
But if you have an excellent conservative agenda, it is totally meaningless if you can not get the congress to co-operate with you. Reagan got lot of his agenda passed through congress even though majority congress was democrat. Because Reagan seldom antagonized others. He had tons of friends in congress.
It is very easy to make enemies and much harder to cultivate friends. Any senator or congressman who has very very few friends in congress will be unable to get anything passed.
A president, however, is a different matter. If Cruz is elected president, McConnell's days as majority leader are numbered. His successor may well be Jeff Sessions.
At that point, I would submit that Cruz and the Senate could have a very productive relationship.
Basically, we differ on just who it is that is "unlikable" within the GOP Senate caucus. You say it is Cruz. I would contend that the true jerks are 30-or-40-or-so of his colleagues.
For example, I believe I'd enjoy sharing a table and having a beer with Cruz, Lee and Sessions. So would you, I imagine. Is there anybody else in the GOP Senate caucus that we might add to this trio? How many of them would we just as soon never have to shake their hand?
The proof of my thesis is that Ted Cruz has no legislation passed of any significance with his name as sponsor, during his 3 years in senate. I again agree that really good senators are very few. But we have to play with the cards dealt. We can’t manufacture 60 senators of our liking.
Would you expect him to, given that he has called out the Senate leadership -- exposing their lies and corruption.
Of course, he's going to be taken to Coventry by the leadership.
But has he not performed a greater service than if he had authored some legislation allocating tax dollars to this project or that program?
Taking Cruz to task for a lack of legislative achievements is like criticizing the Oscar winner's wardrobe choice.
Who was the favorite in Iowa last time, Romney?
these polls are interesting but its the voting that matters.
looking forward to Cruz dominating in the primaries. Then if Carson etc drop out Cruz gets their voters
Let’s see, Cruz is the new Santorum?
How will Cruz do in New York?
National polls mean nothing. They are full of Californicate and The northeast socialists. Take them off the table. Give me Florida, Ohio, Colorado and Pennsylvania with Trump vs Hillary!! Then shut up!!I saw that fat faced RINO NEOCON Republicrat Bastard Rove pedaling this nation race crap today on Fox and it made me puke!!
” lib friend of mine who worked for Hillary during the 2008 primaries. He didn’t just vote for her, he went door to door for her.
He’s 100% for Trump now. Amazing. “
Not surprising at all Trump.
Trump and Hillary have the same healthcare position - they are for socialized healthcare.
“Trump is not turning any lefties into conservatives.”
non-conservatives can’t do that.
Trump said single payer worked in Scotland; supports corporate welfare and crony capitalism; opposes entitlement reform; supports the Kelo decision; opposes entitlement reforms and wants more not less money for many areas of Government. Trump endorsed McConnell in KY for the pork $$: “Kentucky Should Reelect Sen. McConnell Because He Gets So Many Earmarks”
“I met and campaigned for Cruz in his senatorial bid, and can honestly say the man puts his love of conservative values above himself.
Say..... versus Trump? Who is just in it for himself. And winning. I could give you innumerable examples, but I figure you know your candidate pretty well.”
CRUZ = lifelong conservative warrior with many victories for conservatives. In it for US.
TRUMP = ZERO experience in public service. Has done NOTHING for the conservative cause. In it for HIMSELF.
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