Posted on 02/24/2016 8:30:17 PM PST by TigerClaws
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — The “southern firewall†Ted Cruz’s presidential campaign has been building for months appears to be crumbling under the weight of Donald Trump’s staying power and Marco Rubio’s resurgence.
The Cruz campaign told Yellowhammer Wednesday night they are pulling out of the Presidential Forum set to be held at Samford University in Birmingham on Saturday, and will not be holding any other events in Alabama ahead of election day. Senator Marco Rubio’s campaign, however, reiterated their commitment to the event.
The move is one of the most open indicators to date that Cruz has failed to pick up steam in the Bible Belt South, once believed to be his geographic stronghold and his most likely path to the nomination.
Numerous southern states and almost a quarter of the Republican delegates are up for grabs in the so called SEC Primary on March 1st.
Yellowhammer CEO Cliff Sims said Cruz’s exit from the state so close to election day is unfortunate, but not entirely unexpected.
“Decisions like this are difficult for any campaign to make, but they have to do what they think is best,†he said. “Once a campaign goes into survival mode, sometimes they have to cut their losses and move resources where they can be most effective. A candidate’s time is the most valuable resource any campaign has.â€
South Carolina Republican strategist Hogan Gidley said Cruz’s lackluster performance in his home state was the first public sign that Cruz’s southern strategy was not coming together.
“It does definitely put a dent into the manufactured reputation that Cruz is coalescing all conservatives,†he told National Review. “I think we can put an end to that myth.â€
A longtime Alabama political consultant who is not working for a presidential campaign but has seen presidential campaign polling numbers through other state-level campaigns told Yellowhammer Cruz’s path to the nomination could be disappearing.
“If Cruz — the Texan, the staunch evangelical, the anti-Washington guy — can’t win in Alabama and across the South, he can’t win,†the consultant said on condition of anonymity so he could speak freely. “I’ve seen polling in the last week that shows Cruz in third in Alabama, far behind Trump and behind Rubio, too. It might become apparent after March 1st that Cruz’s goose is cooked.â€
Senator Rubio is scheduled to be in both Birmingham and Huntsville on Saturday. Donald Trump is scheduled to be in Huntsville on Sunday. No other Republican candidates are currently scheduled to campaign in the state ahead of the March 1st primary.
It’s called a retreat.
Where have the real nasty Cruz supporters gone?
Theo, LibbyLu, ConservativeJoy, TBBT.
They are all AWOL.
It looks like Cruz is as GOPe as they come by saying he would support
Rubio over Trump.
And your a cold-hearted jerk.
Goodbye.
No. VP is powerless. Cruz needs to stay in the senate and point out all the unconstitutional garbage going on. We have seen just how powerful the executive branch is without any restraint and the people want that again to get jobs.
The Great One knows that DT has no respect for the constitution and has no moral compass. DT is running because the economy is going to crash and he needs a job with housing. I wonder if he can use eminent domain to keep the banks from taking everything he owns (all 4 billion of it to offset the loans).
Yep.....
Let's see if we're still giddy that celebrity (or socialism) was preferred over conservatism in 2016.
I'm sure in that event The Donald's supporters will show their hero's penchant for rewriting inconvenient history.
If you are using the little “g” in god, then you are not speaking of the one and only true God, with a big “G” and that is Jesus Christ.
Whatever. If it makes you feel better, I don’t capitalize allah either.
Bye bye Canadian Cruz
It’s strange watching the joy on FR when a true conservative, and someone who has for the most part been a champion of ours against some real slime balls, stumbles.
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I share some of your sentiment. Yet, I must say the difference between Trump and Cruz for me is that they will both end up doing less than they promised but Trump had the guts to slap China and Mexico right in the face, on the World Stage. I still think Cruz will be working with Trump and helping him.
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