Byron York: Cruz plans next move after trouncing Trump in Wisconsin

[mystery-ak]

http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/ted-cruz-plots-next-moves-after-trouncing-trump-in-wisconsin/article/2587788


Byron York: Cruz plans next move after trouncing Trump in Wisconsin
By Byron York (@ByronYork) • 4/6/16 7:17 AM

MILWAUKEE — The Marquette Law School poll, released last Wednesday, shook up perceptions of the Republican presidential race here in Wisconsin. After weeks with no good data, Marquette found Ted Cruz with a ten-point lead over Donald Trump — a finding that was replicated by a Fox Business poll shortly after.

Then, as voting neared, two other polls showed the race closer, with Cruz up by just five or six points. Which would it be? "He might win by 12," one GOP operative not involved with either campaign told me, "and he might win by three."

He did better than that. On the strength of massive support in the talk-radio-fueled suburbs of Milwaukee, Cruz ran away with the Wisconsin primary, beating Trump by 13 points.

For days Cruz and his top surrogates, including Gov. Scott Walker, had been expressing the hope that Wisconsin would change the direction of the Republican race — specifically, that it would mark the beginning of the end for Trump. That seemed to come true Tuesday night. "Tonight is a turning point," Cruz told cheering supporters not long after the race was called. "It is a rallying cry. It is a call from the hardworking men and women of Wisconsin to the people of America — we have a choice, a real choice."

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[Sanguine]

And, that's why you don't want to underestimate Ted Cruz.

[sinkspur]

And, that's why you don't want to underestimate Ted Cruz.

I'm not sure this is about Cruz.  It's more about anti-Trump.  The sentiment is strong and getting stronger.  Cruz is just the beneficiary.

[massadvj]

Once again, Mr. Closer loses the late deciders. 

[Frank Cannon]

I'm not sure this is about Cruz.  It's more about anti-Trump.  The sentiment is strong and getting stronger.  Cruz is just the beneficiary.

Under your theory, Kasich would have done well too. Just looking at the exits, Cruz won for being Cruz. Not because he was not Trump.

This was a huge win for Conservatism and Cruz. 

[Bill Cipher]

@A-Lert

I guess that 10 point lead wasn't such a phantom after all.

[Frank Cannon]

Not necessarily. Cruz is seen as the best vehicle to stop Trump at this point. So the people coalesce around him.

As a complete aside, I wonder who would have emerged as a front runner if Trump had never run. Fiorina, Walker, Rubio, Cruz??? It would have been so interesting
instead of the 24/7 Trump dominating all political talk. His candidacy sure drowned out a lot of the needed vetting of the candidates.

I doubt that. Of the candidates running the only one not really vetted was Kasich. I say not really because he was in a couple rough elections for Gov but not any national attention. Cruz has had an MSM target on him since he went to DC and started doing what he said he would and Trump wrote books with every gory detail about his life. I think we know plenty about everyone in contention for the nomination.

I do not buy the argument that the only thing Cruz is is an empty vessel for Trump hate. Cruz has been respected outside of DC prior to his run.

[Frank Cannon]

I agree Cruz has had a target on him since day one because of his refusal to go along to get along. I don't question that. But, I do think that the support he is starting to see is because he remains the best hope to stop Trump and probably was not choice number one of most, many, of his voters. This is not meant to be a negative on Cruz. I also disagree on the vetting issue. We saw very very little of the other candidates talking about their positions and past because of the dominance of Trump. I lament that and the lost opportunity the GOP had this primary season with so many quality candidates. The entire primary season has been all Trump all the time.

Most of those candidates didn't need to be heard from. You really interested in what Pataki had for ideas? Lindsay Grahamnesty? I think the informed voters were informed plenty and the rest don't really care other than an R after the persons name.

As for the issue with Cruz being the anti Trump, Reagan wasn't loved in '80. He was just a better option to many than Bush and Baker at the time. '76 people weren't in love with Ford but he seemed the better option to Reagan. Same thing as now. Those who are in love with their candidate before they win and prove themselves in office are setting themselves up for a big letdown. Remember all the idolatry at FR over Bush and Rove back in the day? Those two names used positively over there will get you a zot today.

[A-Lert]

I'm not sure this is about Cruz.  It's more about anti-Trump.  The sentiment is strong and getting stronger.  Cruz is just the beneficiary.

Cruz won southeast Wisconsin, the most liberal part of the state.