It's Not Just Me!

The reason I don't just laugh off Cruz is because he is wildly popular here. Just imagine how many people think the way he does.

I hate to admit it, Edgar...but we've got plenty of those kind right here in New Jersey. Some still wear their Sarah Palin buttons!

Look at this.

I think there is something wrong in the picture. The clothing, down to the crooked black necktie are identical. How likely is that?

I think everyone realizes that one was shopped. But I actually was thinking of the similarity (kidding with my sister about it)...and was looking up pictures of McCarthy to put together with pix of Cruz when I found these.

There is a similarity!

at least you know who to avoid

Okay, the similarity was somewhat enhanced.

Inside the Beltway: The Cruz conservative strategy worked


Washington Times - ‎1 hour ago‎

Sen. Ted Cruz, Texas Republican, saw his support increase from 5 percent to 16 percent in just over a month, enough to make him one of three candidates in the top tier of GOP contenders, according to Public Policy Polling.

You had Ralph Nadar. I guess we get Ted Cruz.

Yeah, but you got Jeb, Scott, and about ten more.

They don't look bad right now. We'll see about later, later.

Sighhhhhh

http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/new-gop-top-tier-takes-shape

By Steve Benen




Over the last few months, the early polling in the Republican presidential race has been relatively consistent. Jeb Bush and Scott Walker have made the top tier of the GOP field, with Mike Huckabee – and in some polls, right-wing neurosurgeon Ben Carson – not far behind. The rest of the crowded field has generally struggled to reach double digit support among likely Republican primary voters.



But just over the last 24 hours, the political world has received a timely reminder about the volatility of the early standings. Consider, for example, the new national survey from Public Policy Polling, which suggests the Republicans’ top tier has a new member.



1. Scott Walker 20%

2. Jeb Bush 17%

3. Ted Cruz 16%



Note, Cruz saw his support more than triple since the previous PPP survey in late February. (In this poll, Carson and Rand Paul were at 10% each, creating a second tier, and no one else reached double digits.)



There’s also this new Washington Post/ABC News poll of Republican voters:



1. Jeb Bush 20%

2. Ted Cruz 13%

3. Scott Walker 12%



No other GOP candidate in the poll reached double digits. After the top tier, Rand Paul was fourth with 9%, followed by Huckabee at 8%, and Ben Carson and Marco Rubio tied for the sixth place with 7% each.



So, is it time to welcome Ted Cruz to the top tier of the Republican presidential race and start treating him accordingly? Not exactly.





It seems entirely plausible that the far-right Texan will enjoy a competitive base of support. Cruz, perhaps more than any GOP senators, personifies the id of the Republican Party in the Obama era – no compromises, no concessions, no breaks from party orthodoxy – and it stands to reason that will draw the support of a significant chunk of the GOP base.



But Cruz was also the first candidate to formally launch a presidential campaign – to date, he’s still the only candidate to formally launch a presidential campaign – which means the Texas Republican has benefited from extensive attention and media coverage.



If Cruz didn’t see his support jump, that would have been far more alarming.



But looking ahead, each of the many likely candidates will enjoy some similar time in the sun, and many will also get a boost in the polls. “Post-announcement bounces” will probably be pretty common over the next several weeks.



The question, which we can’t yet answer with confidence, is who’ll be able to maintain and build on this initial support.



Is Ted Cruz a top-tier Republican contender? For now, sure. I imagine the senator and his team will even be able to exploit these new poll numbers for campaign fundraising and some grassroots activism. But what matters is not where a candidate stands six days after launching a campaign, but rather, six months.



It’s a reminder that there will be some fluidity to the standings for quite a while, so the data should be taken with a grain of salt.

Has anyone ever seen a white pumpkin? I have, and in taped campaign bullshit of Ted Cruz, he looks like a white sad faced jack o lantern. I recognize that he's brilliant, however, I just don't trust him. He talks about the real Americans, my family has been here longer than his family, will I be still considered a real American? Or will my years serving DOD get tossed out. I think he a megalomaniacal opportunist.

Our opinions have differed before.

Well that's true Roger, but we usually can come to an agreement or compromise. I find Cruz frightening, I would have voted for McCain but he picked the Cub Scout mom from Wasilla, I'm a woman but I'm more qualified to be Vice President than the cookie mom who thinks Paul Revere shot off guns to alert the Americans the British were coming.

I won't dissuade you from supporting Cruz, I just can't support him. I hope we are still good.

Cruz is a total nut bag. It would serve people right if he got elected. - If only the rest of us didn't have to pay as well.

The fact that there are people in this country so wedded to ideology that they would even consider him as a potential candidate...

...sickens me.

It should sicken anyone with a brain.