Cruz to Name Fiorina as Running Mate

 

Several news agencies have confirmed that Sen. Ted Cruz will name Carly Fiorina as his vice presidential running mate Wednesday afternoon in Indiana:

Fiorina, a former Hewlett-Packard CEO, has been among Cruz’s most loyal and active surrogates since she ended her own 2016 GOP presidential bid after a poor finish in New Hampshire in February.

The announcement, which was teased early Wednesday morning and will be made official Wednesday afternoon in Indianapolis, comes the day after Cruz suffered a drubbing at the hands of Donald Trump in five northeastern primaries — losses that mathematically eliminated Cruz from getting the 1,237 delegates he’d need to clinch the GOP nomination.

Cruz’s hopes now rest in a contested convention this summer in Cleveland, where the Texas senator would hope to stop Trump on the first ballot and then win in subsequent rounds of voting thanks to support from the loyal delegates his campaign has assiduously courted.

The Cruz campaign deliberated over whether to pick Fiorina for the last two weeks, according to one person familiar with the move. It has polled the potential ticket, examining it for its prospective strengths and weaknesses.

The hope within the campaign is that Fiorina will help Cruz in California, which will award 172 delegates on June 7. Fiorina is scheduled to give the keynote address at this weekend’s California Republican Party convention, speaking hours after Cruz takes the stage.

What do you think: Will this help Cruz, hurt Cruz, or make no difference at all?

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  1. Yeah...ok. Inactive
    Yeah...ok.
    @Yeahok

    Help him do what?

    • #1
  2. billy Inactive
    billy
    @billy

    This seems like a rare tactical mistake from Cruz. The VP slot could be a valuable tool in a floor fight at the convention.

    • #2
  3. Casey Inactive
    Casey
    @Casey

    Tonight is the NFL draft.  Lots of football players who look good on paper tonight will look lousy on the field in August.

    On paper, I love this.  On paper, Cruz is awesome.  On paper, Fiorina is awesome.  On paper, I know this ticket is conservative as hell.

    But my gut worries about what they’ll look like on the field. I just don’t feel it.

    • #3
  4. Bob Laing Member
    Bob Laing
    @

    I am not a Fiorina fan. This is a Hail Mary play to pick up delegates and deny Trump the magic 1237 number.  It may help in the short term, but hurt in the long term.

    It might also indicate that if Trump doesn’t get 1237, the party chooses someone other than Cruz as nominee.

    • #4
  5. Mike LaRoche Inactive
    Mike LaRoche
    @MikeLaRoche

    This only makes sense if Cruz is now planning a third-party run.

    • #5
  6. Brian Watt Inactive
    Brian Watt
    @BrianWatt

    As smart and competent as she is, I don’t think announcing Carly as his VP will be enough to be a game changer. Cruz probably should have been working to put together and then announce an entire cabinet to upstage Trump and try to capture the news cycle for a few days. That said, I don’t think many qualified and talented folks are inclined to step up to the plate because they may sense that the end is near for the Cruz campaign.

    I’ll vote for Cruz in California as the last sensible option but unless something happens to derail Trump then even California, with a history of putting forth RINOs is likely to go for Trump. Still won’t vote for Trump in the general. Just down-ballot Republicans. It’s a matter of principle. Doubtful the Republican Party survives unless morphed into something else.

    • #6
  7. Austin Murrey Inactive
    Austin Murrey
    @AustinMurrey

    We’re doomed.

    • #7
  8. Joseph Stanko Coolidge
    Joseph Stanko
    @JosephStanko

    billy:This seems like a rare tactical mistake from Cruz. The VP slot could be a valuable tool in a floor fight at the convention.

    How so?  Trump would never accept the VP slot.  I suppose he could offer it to Kasich in exchange for his delegates.

    Also nothing’s set in stone until the convention, he could still ditch Carly and offer it to Kasich if necessary.

    • #8
  9. Hoyacon Member
    Hoyacon
    @Hoyacon

    billy:This seems like a rare tactical mistake from Cruz. The VP slot could be a valuable tool in a floor fight at the convention.

    My guess is that he plans to cross that bridge at the time, and that this is a tacit admission that he sees that there won’t be a floor fight without changed circumstances.  IMO, it’s about California, mostly.

    • #9
  10. Mike H Inactive
    Mike H
    @MikeH

    This seems desperate. Cruz knows he’s probably going to lose, and if he doesn’t know that, he’s delusional. This isn’t the kind of events you see happening right before someone comes back to win.

    • #10
  11. billy Inactive
    billy
    @billy

    Joseph Stanko:

    billy:This seems like a rare tactical mistake from Cruz. The VP slot could be a valuable tool in a floor fight at the convention.

    How so? Trump would never accept the VP slot. I suppose he could offer it to Kasich in exchange for his delegates.

    Also nothing’s set in stone until the convention, he could still ditch Carly and offer it to Kasich if necessary.

    Traditionally in contested conventions, the VP slot has been used as a bargaining chip for winning over a state’s delegates as a bloc.

    • #11
  12. Casey Inactive
    Casey
    @Casey

    Mike LaRoche:This only makes sense if Cruz is now planning a third-party run.

    I disagree. I think this completely kills any possibility of a third party… which depresses me.

    A Cruz/Rubio third party split is my big dream.  Young, dynamic, Cuban, conservative.  A clean break, a new face, a fresh start.  And Cruz already has the network.  He’s the guy to do it.  And Rubio complements him and rounds off the rough edges.

    That would be quite a team and a real game changer.

    Oh well…

    • #12
  13. Joseph Stanko Coolidge
    Joseph Stanko
    @JosephStanko

    Brian Watt: I’ll vote for Cruz in California as the last sensible option but unless something happens to derail Trump then even California, with a history of putting forth RINOs is likely to go for Trump.

    At this point I’m considering strategically voting for Kasich.  Especially since I live in the liberal Bay Area, I’m thinking he has a better chance of winning my district than Cruz.

    • #13
  14. She Member
    She
    @She

    Ricochet Editor’s Desk:

    What do you think: Will this help Cruz, hurt Cruz, or make no difference at all?

    Well, perhaps it will stifle the sporadic outbursts of people who think that Cruz is, underneath it all, angling to run on a ticket with Trump.

    I like Carly.  Anyone with a degree in Philosophy and Medieval History is OK in my book.

    If she’s allowed to let fly at Hillary and Trump, at least the next few weeks will be entertaining, no matter who wins in the end.

    And if they don’t win the Republican nomination, Ted and Carly should run on the Articulate Party ticket.  They’d be a shoo-in, because there’s absolutely no competition.

    I’m anticipating the nightly coverage starting at 6PM, where the great majority of the coverage will no doubt feature Trump, Trump’s lawyer, Trump’s campaign manager, Trump’s other campaign manager, former shoplifter Katrina Pierson (who is not quite Trump’s other other campaign manager, but almost), Trump’s children, Newt Gingrich, Rudy Guiliani, and, leading everyone from behind, Sean Hannity, all telling us exactly what this “means” and what we should think about it.  So we should have a better answer to your question by about midnight.*

    And who knows, maybe we’ll even have a rare appearance by The Politician Formerly Known as Governor Christie.  That would be a treat.

    Maybe Ted and Carly will be allowed to get a word in edgewise somewhere.

    —————-

    *On second thought, somewhere I have DVDs of the original (1983) “V” miniseries.  I might watch that instead.  Somehow, a story in which the world is overtaken by evil lizard aliens disguised and posing as friendly people seems appropriate to my current mood.  Especially as the special effects are really bad.

    • #14
  15. Brian Watt Inactive
    Brian Watt
    @BrianWatt

    Joseph Stanko:

    Brian Watt: I’ll vote for Cruz in California as the last sensible option but unless something happens to derail Trump then even California, with a history of putting forth RINOs is likely to go for Trump.

    At this point I’m considering strategically voting for Kasich. Especially since I live in the liberal Bay Area, I’m thinking he has a better chance of winning my district than Cruz.

    As long as it’s a vote against Trump.

    • #15
  16. FreeWifiDuringSermon Inactive
    FreeWifiDuringSermon
    @FreeWifiDuringSermon

    billy:This seems like a rare tactical mistake from Cruz. The VP slot could be a valuable tool in a floor fight at the convention.

    True. But Carly’s got such a verbal howitzer effect I can’t help but enjoy the prospect of her getting more time in front of the camera.

    • #16
  17. Bob Laing Member
    Bob Laing
    @

    FreeWifiDuringSermon:

    billy:This seems like a rare tactical mistake from Cruz. The VP slot could be a valuable tool in a floor fight at the convention.

    True. But Carly’s got such a verbal howitzer effect I can’t help but enjoy the prospect of her getting more time in front of the camera.

    I don’t think I’ve seen 30 seconds of Ted Cruz sound bites in the past month. The candidate himself is struggling to get air time.  I can’t imagine a VP pick for an underdog candidate will merit too much coverage in the media unless she goes full tilt.  But hey, maybe that’s the plan?

    • #17
  18. EThompson Member
    EThompson
    @

    As a Trumpster, I’m envious of this choice. I think she is a spectacular running mate in so many ways: serious biz experience, international exposure to world leaders, smart, savvy, and a magnificent debater. She was brave and bold in her senatorial run against Boxer and defended the Fresno Valley agricultural region that has been robbed by liberals of the water necessary to feed this nation.

    She could kick Hillary’s fat a** off the stage even as a VP candidate.

    Tip of the hat to Cruz.

    • #18
  19. Steven Jones Inactive
    Steven Jones
    @StevenJones

    I guess I’m in the minority here. I love Fiorina. She was high on my candidate short list last fall, and I’m excited at the prospect of her has vice president.

    • #19
  20. She Member
    She
    @She

    Bob Laing:

    FreeWifiDuringSermon:

    billy:This seems like a rare tactical mistake from Cruz. The VP slot could be a valuable tool in a floor fight at the convention.

    True. But Carly’s got such a verbal howitzer effect I can’t help but enjoy the prospect of her getting more time in front of the camera.

    I don’t think I’ve seen 30 seconds of Ted Cruz sound bites in the past month. The candidate himself is struggling to get air time. I can’t imagine a VP pick for an underdog candidate will merit too much coverage in the media unless she goes full tilt. But hey, maybe that’s the plan?

    So true. Cruz won, I think, seven cauci/primaries in a row, and I don’t remember anyone talking about ‘momentum.’  In fact, I barely remember any coverage at all. There was the night he won one of them, can’t remember which, and was in the middle of his victory speech when Fox cut it and went to Hannity, interviewing Gingrich,who was  explaining why this didn’t really matter, and anyway, let’s talk about Trump.

    It’s a testament to Cruz’s discipline and supreme competence that he’s doing as well as he is with as little as he has. Would that discipline and competence were things that the electorate was interested in. This would have been a very different race with a very different outcome.

    • #20
  21. Marley's Ghost Coolidge
    Marley's Ghost
    @MarleysGhost

    I like this choice quite a bit.  I have been a fan of Fiorina from early on.  She has lots of foreign relations experience and can be a big help in terms of cabinet coordination.  Foremost though she is an outstanding speaker especially on her feet and does so without leaning on stump phrases (they get used but not overused) so she can be a critical alternate voice for Cruz.

    Frankly, anyone who is a Republican who has even a semblance of conservative or constitutional leanings and supports Donald Trump is either severely delusional about Trump’s commitment to either or is an outright liar about what they actually believe.  The man’s entire life has been lived in the service of the almighty ME and everything else is subject to that goal.  Any other interpretation of the totality of his life to date is a compost of utter fiction.  As I have said previously the man is a 1964 Democrat, which only in comparison with the far left progressives running the Democrat Party seems conservative.

    I may have preferred other choices but there isn’t any doubt Cruz is a conservative and he is NOT a creature of the Washington political machine.  He is a far superior candidate intellectually, morally, and politically than Trump.  Personally, I can hardly believe I live in a time when my choice as a voter come election day might be either PT Barnum or Cruella DeVille… what ignominy.

    • #21
  22. blood thirsty neocon Inactive
    blood thirsty neocon
    @bloodthirstyneocon

    Is it sexist to say she should smile?

    • #22
  23. Frozen Chosen Inactive
    Frozen Chosen
    @FrozenChosen

    This ticket is deadly serious – no smiling allowed

    • #23
  24. blood thirsty neocon Inactive
    blood thirsty neocon
    @bloodthirstyneocon

    I’m sold. CARLY FOR PRESIDENT! FIRST…WOMAN…PRESIDENT!

    • #24
  25. billy Inactive
    billy
    @billy

    She:

    Bob Laing:

    FreeWifiDuringSermon:

    True. But Carly’s got such a verbal howitzer effect I can’t help but enjoy the prospect of her getting more time in front of the camera.

    I don’t think I’ve seen 30 seconds of Ted Cruz sound bites in the past month. The candidate himself is struggling to get air time. I can’t imagine a VP pick for an underdog candidate will merit too much coverage in the media unless she goes full tilt. But hey, maybe that’s the plan?

    So true. Cruz won, I think, seven cauci/primaries in a row, and I don’t remember anyone talking about ‘momentum.’ In fact, I barely remember any coverage at all. There was the night he won one of them, can’t remember which, and was in the middle of his victory speech when Fox cut it and went to Hannity, interviewing Gingrich,who was explaining why this didn’t really matter, and anyway, let’s talk about Trump.

    It’s a testament to Cruz’s discipline and supreme competence that he’s doing as well as he is with as little as he has. Would that discipline and competence were things that the electorate was interested in. This would have been a very different race with a very different outcome.

    The only thing I watch on FNC now is Red Eye and Brett Baier.

    • #25
  26. blood thirsty neocon Inactive
    blood thirsty neocon
    @bloodthirstyneocon

    billy: Would that discipline and competence were things that the electorate was interested in. This would have been a very different race with a very different outcome.

    Wouldn’t they want Kasich in that case? Why would they want a freshman senator? Just asking.

    • #26
  27. She Member
    She
    @She

    blood thirsty neocon:

    billy: Would that discipline and competence were things that the electorate was interested in. This would have been a very different race with a very different outcome.

    Wouldn’t they want Kasich in that case? Why would they want a freshman senator? Just asking.

    I have to say, Kasich didn’t immediately spring to mind along with the words ‘discipline’ and ‘competence.’

    But there was a governor of Wisconsin with a remarkable record, a Governor of Louisiana with some chops, and  a highly respected former governor of Texas.

    There were also a few more current and former governors, three first-term senators, a long-term senator, a couple of throwbacks, and some political neophytes.

    But then the circus came to town, and suddenly, all of them appeared just too stupid, too uninteresting, and too boring, as we marveled at the acrobatics, the clown cars, and the dancing bears.

    As I said, discipline and competence are not the order of the day.  Otherwise, different race, different outcome.

    • #27
  28. Lucy Pevensie Inactive
    Lucy Pevensie
    @LucyPevensie

    In an election year when only Trump gets air time, rallies and door knocking are the only tools with which to reach voters. And this doubles the number of potential rallies. I think it will help with more moderate voters without hurting with conservative ones. It might actually get a little air time, who knows?

    And she is just deadly against Trump. That’s actually the best part.

    • #28
  29. billy Inactive
    billy
    @billy

    blood thirsty neocon:

    billy: Would that discipline and competence were things that the electorate was interested in. This would have been a very different race with a very different outcome.

    Wouldn’t they want Kasich in that case? Why would they want a freshman senator? Just asking.

    This is actually She‘s comment, not mine. Nonetheless, I agree with her response.

    In a field crowded with good candidates, Trump’s was the loudest voice. So here we are: A choice between a career insider with an annoying predilection to scold, a freshmen Senator with no executive experience, and a petulant blowhard.

    • #29
  30. Josh Farnsworth Member
    Josh Farnsworth
    @

    Yeah…ok.:Help him do what?

    Help him obtain enough delegates to force an open convention.

    • #30
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