Could Ted Cruz End Up as the Establishment Candidate?

 

That’s what Scott McKay is asking today in an article from The American Spectator:

Here’s a theory to ponder: after the first round of dropouts, in which Rick Perry’s impending demise is joined by several others — Christie, George Pataki, Lindsey Graham, Jim Gilmore, perhaps Bobby Jindal — the likely beneficiary will be the candidate best suited to pull their voters. And for many, that could be Cruz. Cruz has regional strength in Texas and Louisiana, which could translate into his picking up Perry and Jindal supporters. Despite his clashes with Graham in the Senate, Cruz’ calls for a muscular foreign policy could appeal to the several dozen supporters the South Carolinian has amassed. Those of Christie’s supporters who came to him for his combative style might look to Cruz rather than Trump.

And then after the second round of dropouts, Cruz could gain even more support. Particularly should Paul leave the race; if he isn’t gaining ground, at some point he’s going to have to consider whether his smartest play won’t be to return to Kentucky to defend his Senate seat, and Cruz is a friend and partner in many cases (though for Paul so is Mitch McConnell, which makes for an interesting conflict). Should Mike Huckabee and Rick Santorum drop out, none of the others has put in more work to attract the social conservatives they represent than Cruz.

More:

By this point, we might be close to the March 1 “Super Tuesday” primaries, most of which will take place in Deep South states where Cruz has trained his focus toward developing strength. He’s been outshone by Trump in most of them to date, but Cruz is building more organization in those states than any other candidate.

We could see a situation where Trump is ahead on the strength of his performance in the early states and still leads in the polls, though he might have commenced fading in the face of the various challenges befalling a presidential candidate and the terror gripping the party of having to nominate a bull-in-a-China-shop like the real estate magnate has not subsided. But while the establishment might believe Trump is beatable, they could be without candidates to beat him.

And at that juncture, the unthinkable might become inevitable; namely, that the RINO/Chamber of Commerce GOP establishment might well see Ted Cruz as their only hope to stop Donald Trump from getting the Republican nomination.

A thought-provoking scenario, no doubt. But as a staunch supporter of Ted Cruz – and in the past, of Sarah Palin – I must ask: what’s it like being a RINO squish?

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  1. Mike LaRoche Inactive
    Mike LaRoche
    @MikeLaRoche

    Matthew Gilley:

    Mike LaRoche:

    Concretevol:Stick with Cruz Mike! Your endorsement, and the fact I pretty much agree with him) is the primary reason I am trying to get past whatever it is that drives me crazy about him. I was ok with Palin before she decided to be a reality tv star but Cruz is waaaaay better than she ever hoped to be. If he could just sound less like a humanoid that was built by conservatives……

    Have no fear, LaRoches are deeply loyal by inclination. :-)

    That explains the Mike Leach bromance.

    Ha! God bless the Old Pirate. We’ll not see his like again.

    • #31
  2. GLDIII Reagan
    GLDIII
    @GLDIII

    Salvatore Padula:I stopped taking the article seriously when it predicted the demise of Jim Gilmore. Gilmore is the only choice for true conservatives. America needs Gilmore. Gilmania 2016!

    Sal,

    It is noted that you are cultivating a fine dry, dry, humor….

    • #32
  3. RightAngles Member
    RightAngles
    @RightAngles

    donald todd:

    Salvatore Padula:RightAngles: “Bill Clinton got elected because he had the best head of hair for pete’s sake.”

    So you’re saying we should nominate either Paul or Trump, right?

    Given Clinton’s moral record we should look for the baldest man (or perhaps any qualified woman) for the position. (If approaching baldness is a criteria, the Donald would seem to be out of it.)

    But bald doesn’t equal  unattractive. I’ve seen plenty of sexy bald men. Baldness means a lot of testosterone. Grass doesn’t grow on a busy street!

    • #33
  4. Austin Murrey Inactive
    Austin Murrey
    @AustinMurrey

    RightAngles: Grass doesn’t grow on a busy street!

    I’m shamelessly stealing that!

    • #34
  5. Terry Mott Member
    Terry Mott
    @TerryMott

    Guruforhire:Even when he gets all that Bush money, he still won’t be able to buy a chin.America isn’t ready for a chinless president.

    Not only that, but his voice.  During the first debate, I kept thinking how much of a handicap his voice is going to be.  Sad but true, I’m afraid.

    • #35
  6. Mike LaRoche Inactive
    Mike LaRoche
    @MikeLaRoche

    RightAngles:

    donald todd:

    Salvatore Padula:RightAngles: “Bill Clinton got elected because he had the best head of hair for pete’s sake.”

    So you’re saying we should nominate either Paul or Trump, right?

    Given Clinton’s moral record we should look for the baldest man (or perhaps any qualified woman) for the position. (If approaching baldness is a criteria, the Donald would seem to be out of it.)

    But bald doesn’t equal unattractive. I’ve seen plenty of sexy bald men. Baldness means a lot of testosterone. Grass doesn’t grow on a busy street!

    Actually, if baldness were a criteria, I believe Trump would qualify.  He has a comb-over, right?

    • #36
  7. donald todd Inactive
    donald todd
    @donaldtodd

    Mike LaRoche:

    Actually, if baldness were a criteria, I believe Trump would qualify. He has a comb-over, right?

    Better a bare head than a comb over.  I would not want to look like moss on a rock, with my hair lifting anytime a breeze came up.  I’ve seen hair angled up from the top of the ear in an attempt to hide baldness and I have to admit, better bald.  I’d hate to be the barber for this kind of attempt to evade reality.

    As to whether Trump does a comb over reinforced with dippity do and hair spray, I have no idea.  I actually don’t watch his show and haven’t taken  the time to map out his gourd.

    • #37
  8. Judge Mental Member
    Judge Mental
    @JudgeMental

    donald todd:

    Mike LaRoche:

    Actually, if baldness were a criteria, I believe Trump would qualify. He has a comb-over, right?

    Better a bare head than a comb over. I would not want to look like moss on a rock, with my hair lifting anytime a breeze came up. I’ve seen hair angled up from the top of the ear in an attempt to hide baldness and I have to admit, better bald. I’d hate to be the barber for this kind of attempt to evade reality.

    As to whether Trump does a comb over reinforced with dippity do and hair spray, I have no idea. I actually don’t watch his show and haven’t taken the time to map out his gourd.

    I think he has a Franciscan monk bald spot.  All the hair seems to be traveling towards the back.

    • #38
  9. RightAngles Member
    RightAngles
    @RightAngles

    I could have sworn I saw Trump, I believe with Greta, pushing back the combover to show her it was all his real hair. I saw his hairline in front, all intact. So if he does have a bald spot, I agree it’s probably similar to Scott Walker’s. What I don’t understand is WHY he has hit upon this weird way of disguising it. I mean there are color spray things you can use for that, I think. I also don’t understand why his image handlers haven’t sat him down and told him to fix it. I really thought that after he announced, he’d emerge with normal hair.

    • #39
  10. Judge Mental Member
    Judge Mental
    @JudgeMental

    RightAngles:I could have sworn I saw Trump, I believe with Greta, pushing back the combover to show her it was all his real hair. I saw his hairline in front, all intact. So if he does have a bald spot, I agree it’s probably similar to Scott Walker’s. What I don’t understand is WHY he has hit upon this weird way of disguising it. I mean there are color spray things you can use for that, I think. I also don’t understand why his image handlers haven’t sat him down and told him to fix it. I really thought that after he announced, he’d emerge with normal hair.

    Doubtful… like Samson, all of the power is in the hair.

    • #40
  11. Umbra Fractus Inactive
    Umbra Fractus
    @UmbraFractus

    If Ted Cruz ends up as the “establishment” candidate, then that particular slur has truly lost all meaning.

    • #41
  12. Mike LaRoche Inactive
    Mike LaRoche
    @MikeLaRoche

    Umbra Fractus:If Ted Cruz ends up as the “establishment” candidate, then that particular slur has truly lost all meaning.

    If Ted Cruz does so, he’ll have done the impossible: unite the right!

    • #42
  13. Concretevol Thatcher
    Concretevol
    @Concretevol

    Mike LaRoche:

    Concretevol:Stick with Cruz Mike! Your endorsement, and the fact I pretty much agree with him) is the primary reason I am trying to get past whatever it is that drives me crazy about him. I was ok with Palin before she decided to be a reality tv star but Cruz is waaaaay better than she ever hoped to be. If he could just sound less like a humanoid that was built by conservatives……

    Have no fear, LaRoches are deeply loyal by inclination. :-)

    You may be overly loyal to Ann Murray.  :)

    • #43
  14. Concretevol Thatcher
    Concretevol
    @Concretevol

    Mike LaRoche:

    Umbra Fractus:If Ted Cruz ends up as the “establishment” candidate, then that particular slur has truly lost all meaning.

    If Ted Cruz does so, he’ll have done the impossible: unite the right!

    Nah, then the True Conservatives will call him a RINO .

    • #44
  15. Mike LaRoche Inactive
    Mike LaRoche
    @MikeLaRoche

    Concretevol:

    Mike LaRoche:

    Concretevol:Stick with Cruz Mike! Your endorsement, and the fact I pretty much agree with him) is the primary reason I am trying to get past whatever it is that drives me crazy about him. I was ok with Palin before she decided to be a reality tv star but Cruz is waaaaay better than she ever hoped to be. If he could just sound less like a humanoid that was built by conservatives……

    Have no fear, LaRoches are deeply loyal by inclination. :-)

    You may be overly loyal to Anne Murray. :)

    And Claire Berlinski, too.

    Guess I have a thing for foreign beauties.  (And yes, I know Claire’s originally from California, but to a Texan, that might as well be a foreign country.  Ha!)

    ;-)

    • #45
  16. Mike LaRoche Inactive
    Mike LaRoche
    @MikeLaRoche

    Concretevol:

    Mike LaRoche:

    Umbra Fractus:If Ted Cruz ends up as the “establishment” candidate, then that particular slur has truly lost all meaning.

    If Ted Cruz does so, he’ll have done the impossible: unite the right!

    Nah, then the True Conservatives will call him a RINO .

    • #46
  17. Real Jane Galt Coolidge
    Real Jane Galt
    @FakeJohnJaneGalt

    Well Ted Cruz is part of the establishment, so I see no reason he could not be their candidate.

    • #47
  18. Ball Diamond Ball Member
    Ball Diamond Ball
    @BallDiamondBall

    Umbra Fractus
    If Ted Cruz ends up as the “establishment” candidate, then that particular slur has truly lost all meaning.

    Only in Andrew Sullivan conservatism.
    It would mean we have won enough to hold the party together.

    • #48
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