How Ted Cruz Can Still Beat Trump

[JimBowie1958]

Cruz has to do well on March 1, or he has little chance.

His only chance after that will be to beat Rubio in the delegate count and hope to over-take Trump at the convention.

I think Cruz needs to win Texas and split the South. That would be enough to derail the Trump freight train. If Cruz can only win Texas, he will not be able by that to demonstrate he can be competitive nationally and will lose donors, the lifes blood of any campaign.


I think the things I am suggesting could get him Texas and several Southern states and that might forestall things till the 15th where it is plausible, maybe, for him to overtake Trump and go for a clear win. I dont think Cruz does well in a brokered convention.

Cruz and Rubio's record on closing the border is not very good, so they could very well loose Texas just on that alone.

But right now Cruz is ahead in Texas, but that could easily change with Trump getting the winner's momentum off back to back wins in NH and SC.

 

[bendog]

This is now or never time for the nonTrump GOP voters. Trump is in position to secure a mathematical lock on the nomination certainly by the end of the month.

Cruz has to act NOW and tweak his message a bit, but compeltely overhaul his attacks on Trump.

To understand why what I am suggesting would work it is necessary to explain the underlying advantages and disadvantages on both candidates.

Trumps weaknesses are his lack of ideological fluency, but that is also a strength on many for whom the Wonk Word Salad answers just make them feel insulted. Trump is shunning the role of a moral champion or cultural champion of the US and that is a big weakness with the social conservatives and cultural conservatives.

Trumps strengths are his division of his opponents base. Kasich splits the Establishment lane with Rubio and Carson splits the moral Christian base with Cruz. So no wing of the GOP can unite to oppose Trump. Trump has a draw on American conservative that is based on his style and not his substance. He projects an ability to fix things, that the political class as a whole has lost. Trump also is blunt and people love his frankness and his 'Telling it like it is' persona.

Cruz weakness is a lawyerly style, lots of ideological word salads and a certain "I am the most pure ideologue" taint to his message that repels most voters who think a President has to be flexible in response to unexpected crisis situations.

Cruz strengths are his long record as a reflective conservative champion who will fight anyone that tries to undermine or ignore the American public. He has a firm command of the issues and he has a strong debate skill set. He is the ideal complete conservative spokesman.

This is what Cruz needs to do to win.

First of all stop attacking Trump as weak on conservative ideas and ideology litmus tests. Trump is pulling the people that are reflexive conservatives, not reflective conservatives. Cruz needs to focus on standing up for cultural and moral conservative people and highlight the fact that Trump repeatedly backs away from and shuns this role of the President being Americas moral leader using his bully pull pit for maximum advantage. Talk about Trumps record on gay marriage and and ask if they feel that certain that Trump wont flip flop again once he is in the White House and has four years ahead of him till his re-election.

Secondly, Cruz has to get an IT expert to make his www.tedcruz.org website free of viruses and redirects. He needs to buy www.tedcruz.com to remove alot of confusion people run into trying to find out more about him. IT will be worth the money, trust me. Then Cruz needs to set up his site as a data and information rallying point on Ted Cruz with all his policy details and positions with explanations and FAQs. He has most of this down, but really needs to focus more on the social conservative content to highlight where his target voter demographic differs from other GOP candidates. He also needs to have a 'rebuttals to latest opponent accusation' section that would help people get the Cruz side of the media stories and opponents attacks.

Third, Cruz needs to flank his opposition and offer some unexpected positions that would bring more attention to his independent thinking and that he is not just an ideologue. If he would stand and defend our cultural heritage and attack the left's attempts to bleach it away, it will give him a lot of support in Southern states whose cultural conservative base has felt under attack the last 7 years and abandoned by the GOP. No other GOP candidate is appealing to cultural conservatives and Ted Cruz could win their support simply by implication.

Trump has a lot of independent first time voter support. Cruz could compete for this block by calling for the decriminalization of marijuana. No one should be prosecuted for merely smoking pot, but only for doing it irresponsibly, i.e. trying to drive while on LSD. The worst drugs (like crack and LSD) traffickers should be the focus of federal prosecution, and marijuana sales should not be prosecuted. Cruz should promise a pardon on all marijuana based offenses, but not on violent crimes, with immediate release of any prisoners whose only crime is possession and redistribution of Pot. Then their should be a review with Congress of all drugs related laws and remove from that list drugs that are less harmful than alcohol and then plan for a Presidential pardon of the rest. This would also shore up libertarian support for Cruz as well.

Cruz should also make a bold declaration for an Article V States Amendment Constitutional Convention to wrap up some controversies that have plagued our nation for the last 50 years. Balanced Budget, Term Limits, Declaration of War revision, etc, there are many things such a convention could address and still have the safe guard of the required approval of 3/4s of the states.

Cruz needs to simplify his message to sound bites, like Trump has. Cruz has won over the conservatives at the National Review and radio talk show hosts already, so reach out more to regular reflexive conservatives who feel like politicians are talking over their heads and wont keep these wonky policy promises sure to be loaded with fine letter escape clauses anyway. Like Trump's 'Make America Great Again" Cruz needs to simplify his message to a sound bit size and put it everywhere. FOX was showing an intro to the top three candidates and Trump had his motto shown and Rubio's canned speech opening, but when Cruz was shown it was way too wordy and sleep inducing for most people.

Some suggestions:
"Let's give our children an American future they can look forward to!"

"Let's clean up Washington DC and give it back to the American people!"

"I will be a President you and your family can be proud of!"

Hell, he might be using some of these already, but people are too dozey to remember.

And the last idea that I think would be dynomite for Cruz would be to puncture Trumps image by having a comedian pose with him on stage dressed up like Trump and responding to Cruz's questions and rebuttals using Trumps own statements. Cruz websites should document these statements. The Trump-clone should be lampoonish but he has to accurately reflect Trumps actual positions to buy authenticity in what the clone says. And then have Cruz debate the man to make him look like a man out of his depth, predisposed to making more flip-flops in the future and DEFLATE Trumps persona of being a man who can 'get her done'. I think this can be more effective with reflexive voters than trying to do wonkish critiques of Trumps lack of ideological purity.

Either way, I like Trump, but I think I prefer Ted Cruz, but God bless them both!

Cruz has no chance. The Donald's appeal is that he can get a deal done. Cruz couldn't get a cute bunny through the Senate on Easter.

Cruz and Rubio might together cobble together enough delegates to win a contested election though, but I think Rubio's money backers might prefer Trump.

 

[cereal_killer]

All Trump needs in March is to get southern states including Texas and he pretty much has the nomination in the bag.

Yes, but that is a mighty long five weeks ahead. Anything can still happen, at least in theory.

Yes and I can get run over today on my 3 mile run.

Not trying to bust your balls brother, I'm just pointing out that the inevitable is here (Trump winning nomination) and people are still searching for theories and ways he can lose it. The reality is that the only way Trump loses is if he fucks up. Its his to lose a this point. Cruz can part the Gulf of Mexico and it won't help him.

But such fuckups do happen. Remember last years Super Bowl and Seatles goal line defense at the end?

Thanks for the laugh man hahahha

 

[JakeStarkey]

Cruz has to do well on March 1, or he has little chance.

His only chance after that will be to beat Rubio in the delegate count and hope to over-take Trump at the convention.

Yes racist far left drone Trolls are pulling for Rubio!

Quite a few good republicans are as well.

And another far left drone that claims they do not vote for war mongers chimes and claims their support for the war monger Rubio.

And this far left drone just proves my comments!

Your looniness is evident, Kosh. Many good Republicans like Cruz. Many do not. I do not. His crazy interpretation of what the Bible and evangelicalism means is scary. I am going with a real conservative, Kasich.

Yes you are not a republican or on the right, you are a far left drone!

Sorry far left drone, but those claims you make are not founded in reality!

You are an idiot and a far right reactionary who does not understand that Cruz and Kasich are true Republican conservatives unlike Trump.

Trump is a progressive lefty and you love him.

 

[JimBowie1958]

All Trump needs in March is to get southern states including Texas and he pretty much has the nomination in the bag.

Yes, but that is a mighty long five weeks ahead. Anything can still happen, at least in theory.

Yes and I can get run over today on my 3 mile run.

Not trying to bust your balls brother, I'm just pointing out that the inevitable is here (Trump winning nomination) and people are still searching for theories and ways he can lose it. The reality is that the only way Trump loses is if he fucks up. Its his to lose a this point. Cruz can part the Gulf of Mexico and it won't help him.

But such fuckups do happen. Remember last years Super Bowl and Seatles goal line defense at the end?

Thanks for the laugh man hahahha

Hey it did happen, did it not?

Never say never, lol.

 

[cereal_killer]

Cruz has a problem. That problem is called lies. That contention is starting to take hold.

 

[Silhouette]

This is now or never time for the nonTrump GOP voters. Trump is in position to secure a mathematical lock on the nomination certainly by the end of the month.

Cruz has to act NOW and tweak his message a bit, but compeltely overhaul his attacks on Trump.

To understand why what I am suggesting would work it is necessary to explain the underlying advantages and disadvantages on both candidates.

Trumps weaknesses are his lack of ideological fluency, but that is also a strength on many for whom the Wonk Word Salad answers just make them feel insulted. Trump is shunning the role of a moral champion or cultural champion of the US and that is a big weakness with the social conservatives and cultural conservatives.

Trumps strengths are his division of his opponents base. Kasich splits the Establishment lane with Rubio and Carson splits the moral Christian base with Cruz. So no wing of the GOP can unite to oppose Trump. Trump has a draw on American conservative that is based on his style and not his substance. He projects an ability to fix things, that the political class as a whole has lost. Trump also is blunt and people love his frankness and his 'Telling it like it is' persona.

Cruz weakness is a lawyerly style, lots of ideological word salads and a certain "I am the most pure ideologue" taint to his message that repels most voters who think a President has to be flexible in response to unexpected crisis situations.

Cruz strengths are his long record as a reflective conservative champion who will fight anyone that tries to undermine or ignore the American public. He has a firm command of the issues and he has a strong debate skill set. He is the ideal complete conservative spokesman.

This is what Cruz needs to do to win.

First of all stop attacking Trump as weak on conservative ideas and ideology litmus tests. Trump is pulling the people that are reflexive conservatives, not reflective conservatives. Cruz needs to focus on standing up for cultural and moral conservative people and highlight the fact that Trump repeatedly backs away from and shuns this role of the President being Americas moral leader using his bully pull pit for maximum advantage. Talk about Trumps record on gay marriage and and ask if they feel that certain that Trump wont flip flop again once he is in the White House and has four years ahead of him till his re-election.

Secondly, Cruz has to get an IT expert to make his www.tedcruz.org website free of viruses and redirects. He needs to buy www.tedcruz.com to remove alot of confusion people run into trying to find out more about him. IT will be worth the money, trust me. Then Cruz needs to set up his site as a data and information rallying point on Ted Cruz with all his policy details and positions with explanations and FAQs. He has most of this down, but really needs to focus more on the social conservative content to highlight where his target voter demographic differs from other GOP candidates. He also needs to have a 'rebuttals to latest opponent accusation' section that would help people get the Cruz side of the media stories and opponents attacks.

Third, Cruz needs to flank his opposition and offer some unexpected positions that would bring more attention to his independent thinking and that he is not just an ideologue. If he would stand and defend our cultural heritage and attack the left's attempts to bleach it away, it will give him a lot of support in Southern states whose cultural conservative base has felt under attack the last 7 years and abandoned by the GOP. No other GOP candidate is appealing to cultural conservatives and Ted Cruz could win their support simply by implication.

Trump has a lot of independent first time voter support. Cruz could compete for this block by calling for the decriminalization of marijuana. No one should be prosecuted for merely smoking pot, but only for doing it irresponsibly, i.e. trying to drive while on LSD. The worst drugs (like crack and LSD) traffickers should be the focus of federal prosecution, and marijuana sales should not be prosecuted. Cruz should promise a pardon on all marijuana based offenses, but not on violent crimes, with immediate release of any prisoners whose only crime is possession and redistribution of Pot. Then their should be a review with Congress of all drugs related laws and remove from that list drugs that are less harmful than alcohol and then plan for a Presidential pardon of the rest. This would also shore up libertarian support for Cruz as well.

Cruz should also make a bold declaration for an Article V States Amendment Constitutional Convention to wrap up some controversies that have plagued our nation for the last 50 years. Balanced Budget, Term Limits, Declaration of War revision, etc, there are many things such a convention could address and still have the safe guard of the required approval of 3/4s of the states.

Cruz needs to simplify his message to sound bites, like Trump has. Cruz has won over the conservatives at the National Review and radio talk show hosts already, so reach out more to regular reflexive conservatives who feel like politicians are talking over their heads and wont keep these wonky policy promises sure to be loaded with fine letter escape clauses anyway. Like Trump's 'Make America Great Again" Cruz needs to simplify his message to a sound bit size and put it everywhere. FOX was showing an intro to the top three candidates and Trump had his motto shown and Rubio's canned speech opening, but when Cruz was shown it was way too wordy and sleep inducing for most people.

Some suggestions:
"Let's give our children an American future they can look forward to!"

"Let's clean up Washington DC and give it back to the American people!"

"I will be a President you and your family can be proud of!"

Hell, he might be using some of these already, but people are too dozey to remember.

And the last idea that I think would be dynomite for Cruz would be to puncture Trumps image by having a comedian pose with him on stage dressed up like Trump and responding to Cruz's questions and rebuttals using Trumps own statements. Cruz websites should document these statements. The Trump-clone should be lampoonish but he has to accurately reflect Trumps actual positions to buy authenticity in what the clone says. And then have Cruz debate the man to make him look like a man out of his depth, predisposed to making more flip-flops in the future and DEFLATE Trumps persona of being a man who can 'get her done'. I think this can be more effective with reflexive voters than trying to do wonkish critiques of Trumps lack of ideological purity.

Either way, I like Trump, but I think I prefer Ted Cruz, but God bless them both!

With all those suggestions to the Cruz campaign you left out the one that chopped his lead from 15 points to 5 before it bumped back up by premature absentee ballots: the gay marriage ads Cruz ran (absentee votes were mailed before the ads went out..would've been worse for Trump with them).

All those other issues have been churned around and around and around for years...none of them were show stoppers and none of them stuck to Trump. Until the gay marriage issue. If Cruz expounds on the Kim Davis, kids with no mother or father as a matter of contract...for life..issues...Trump had better just pack it up and go home..

 

[Kosh]

Yes racist far left drone Trolls are pulling for Rubio!

Quite a few good republicans are as well.

And another far left drone that claims they do not vote for war mongers chimes and claims their support for the war monger Rubio.

And this far left drone just proves my comments!

Your looniness is evident, Kosh. Many good Republicans like Cruz. Many do not. I do not. His crazy interpretation of what the Bible and evangelicalism means is scary. I am going with a real conservative, Kasich.

Yes you are not a republican or on the right, you are a far left drone!

Sorry far left drone, but those claims you make are not founded in reality!

You are an idiot and a far right reactionary who does not understand that Cruz and Kasich are true Republican conservatives unlike Trump.

Trump is a progressive lefty and you love him.

Sorry Fakey I have been pointing out that Trump is a "Progressive" acting like a "Progressive"..

Another far left drone failed post!

And it proves that you drones only care about a latter behind ones name!

 

[JakeStarkey]

Cruz has a problem. That problem is called lies. That contention is starting to take hold.

And Trump's bluster and fluster is holding back many Republicans.

If Cruz takes Texas and splits the South, Trump is not a guarantee.

 

[JimBowie1958]

With all those suggestions to the Cruz campaign you left out the one that chopped his lead from 15 points to 5 before it bumped back up by presmature absentee ballots: the gay marriage ads Cruz ran.

All those other issues have been churned around and around and around for years...none of them were show stoppers and none of them stuck to Trump. Until the gay marriage issue. If Cruz expounds on the Kim Davis, kids with no mother or father as a matter of contract...for life..issues...Trump had better just pack it up and go home..

No, actually I did cover that.
"Cruz needs to focus on standing up for cultural and moral conservative people and highlight the fact that Trump repeatedly backs away from and shuns this role of the President being Americas moral leader using his bully pull pit for maximum advantage. Talk about Trumps record on gay marriage and and ask if they feel that certain that Trump wont flip flop again once he is in the White House and has four years ahead of him till his re-election."

But arguing issues is not going to bring down Trump. Going after some of Trumps other constituencies would by targeting things that those bases like or support and Trump has ignored, like decriminalizing Pot. And the use of lampooning ridicule would work some good as well.

 

[Kosh]

Cruz has a problem. That problem is called lies. That contention is starting to take hold.

All politicians lie, it is the extend and the frequency of those lies that matters to some.

Clinton could kill someone and still be a viable candidate to people.

 

[JakeStarkey]

Quite a few good republicans are as well.

And another far left drone that claims they do not vote for war mongers chimes and claims their support for the war monger Rubio.

And this far left drone just proves my comments!

Your looniness is evident, Kosh. Many good Republicans like Cruz. Many do not. I do not. His crazy interpretation of what the Bible and evangelicalism means is scary. I am going with a real conservative, Kasich.

Yes you are not a republican or on the right, you are a far left drone!

Sorry far left drone, but those claims you make are not founded in reality!

You are an idiot and a far right reactionary who does not understand that Cruz and Kasich are true Republican conservatives unlike Trump.

Trump is a progressive lefty and you love him.

Sorry Fakey I have been pointing out that Trump is a "Progressive" acting like a "Progressive".. Another far left drone failed post! And it proves that you drones only care about a latter behind ones name!

You bet I care about "latter"s. Your hypocrisy is obvious: you are a far right drone backing a progressive lefty, yet said lefty is going to betray you if he gets in. So you are hypocritical as well as foolish.

 

[Silhouette]

With all those suggestions to the Cruz campaign you left out the one that chopped his lead from 15 points to 5 before it bumped back up by presmature absentee ballots: the gay marriage ads Cruz ran.

All those other issues have been churned around and around and around for years...none of them were show stoppers and none of them stuck to Trump. Until the gay marriage issue. If Cruz expounds on the Kim Davis, kids with no mother or father as a matter of contract...for life..issues...Trump had better just pack it up and go home..

No, actually I did cover that.
"Cruz needs to focus on standing up for cultural and moral conservative people and highlight the fact that Trump repeatedly backs away from and shuns this role of the President being Americas moral leader using his bully pull pit for maximum advantage. Talk about Trumps record on gay marriage and and ask if they feel that certain that Trump wont flip flop again once he is in the White House and has four years ahead of him till his re-election."

But arguing issues is not going to bring down Trump. Going after some of Trumps other constituencies would by targeting things that those bases like or support and Trump has ignored, like decriminalizing Pot. And the use of lampooning ridicule would work some good as well.

The HELL it won't! Nothing touched him before...often the GOP were sure they'd get him and his numbers went UP. Until the gay marriage ads...then they went down down down down in a jiffy.

"Arguing" the gay marriage issue in TV ads will devastate Trump. You can hang your hat on it..

 

[Jackson]

After glancing at the RCP polls, I don't see a path to victory at all for Cruz.

RealClearPolitics - 2016 Latest Polls

 

[JakeStarkey]

Perhaps, Sil, but Trump is still in the lead. However, that is where Cruz must hit him and hit him hard. If he can deny Trump the evangelical vote, which he did to a good extent in IA and failed in SC, he can stop Trump's momentum.

 

[cereal_killer]

Cruz has a problem. That problem is called lies. That contention is starting to take hold.

And Trump's bluster and fluster is holding back many Republicans.

If Cruz takes Texas and splits the South, Trump is not a guarantee.

Cruz won't take Texas and there's no way he splits the South. He lost the Evangelical vote in SC and thats very telling/troubling for him. I think we're going to see Rubio as the new number 2 guy and Cruz will continue to cruise to 3rd place finishes.

 

[Silhouette]

Perhaps, Sil, but Trump is still in the lead. However, that is where Cruz must hit him and hit him hard. If he can deny Trump the evangelical vote, which he did to a good extent in IA and failed in SC, he can stop Trump's momentum.

Evangelical...all the way to factories and into Hillary's camp.

Quick math question: How many voters out there across the spectrums grew up with a mom and dad?...bonus question...how many of Hillary's folks have Christian roots and were in private shock when they saw Kim Davis in jail?... Get out your calculators...Cruz has...

 

[JakeStarkey]

Cruz has a problem. That problem is called lies. That contention is starting to take hold.

And Trump's bluster and fluster is holding back many Republicans.

If Cruz takes Texas and splits the South, Trump is not a guarantee.

Cruz won't take Texas and there's no way he splits the South. He lost the Evangelical vote in SC and thats very telling/troubling for him. I think we're going to see Rubio as the new number 2 guy and Cruz will continue to cruise to 3rd place finishes.

Sil has pointed out how to get the evangelical vote back. If Cruz does that, yes, he takes Texas and splits the South.

 

[cereal_killer]

In other news Kasich says women are leaving the kitchen to support him

 

[mdk]

The HELL it won't! Nothing touched him before...often the GOP were sure they'd get him and his numbers went UP. Until the gay marriage ads...then they went down down down down in a jiffy.

"Arguing" the gay marriage issue in TV ads will devastate Trump. You can hang your hat on it..

Those ads devastated Trump all the way to a ten point victory in SC. lol.

Most Important Problem

According to Gallup, only .05% of the electorate finds 'gay rights issues' to be important. Just b/c gays are the center of your universe doesn't mean it is for everybody else.