Monmouth poll: Cruz overtakes Trump in Iowa

[cpwill]

Pulling off the interesting trick of uniting evangelicals and libertarians, Cruz takes supporters who would likely otherwise flow to both Paul and Huckabee - an interesting split. Apparently an endorsement from Rep King helped out, too, which is another interesting bit. Cruz taking support from a bit of all three legs of the stool.

And, of course, Trump down is always a nice thing to read.

Washington (CNN)Ted Cruz has overtaken Donald Trump in Iowa, according to a Monmouth University survey of Iowa Republicans released Monday.

If the caucuses were held today, Cruz would win with 24% support to Trump's 19% backing. Marco Rubio comes in a close third with 17% and Ben Carson, who was beating Trump 32%-18% in the last Monmouth University poll, has fallen to 13% support.


Behind the Cruz surge is support among evangelicals -- a decisive voting bloc in Iowa -- who selected Cruz over Trump 30%-18%.

Apparently Iowa Evangelicals don't like being told that they are idiots and that transformative religious experiences are unbelievable or stupid.

 

[Moderate Right]

I predicted Cruz would win Iowa a while ago. Iowa's voting block is religious far right and Cruz fits the bill nicely. This means that Cruz has no hope of winning the nomination.

 

[Bucky]

The more and more I hear Ted Cruz it is pretty apparent imo he is the future of the Republican party. He comes across as telegenic, well versed, articulate, and resolute. He has similar qualities that made W. Bush and Reagan popular.

Put aside his policies, he's bold. Whether he's debating Code Pink protesters or Ellen Paige, the guy is not afraid to rustle feathers. Most importantly he knows how to reach his audience - his passion is evident.

I see Cruz taking on the mantel as the leader of the party - not Rand Paul, Paul Ryan, or Marco Rubio.

He comes across much more principled/fierce than Romney and more intelligible than McCain.

What scares liberals most about Cruz is that if he were to become President, he has the ability to start the next Reagan/Conservative movement.

IMO his campaign strategy is working. He's behind Trump but I think his campaign is better built for the long-term.

 

[Moderate Right]

The more and more I hear Ted Cruz it is pretty apparent imo he is the future of the Republican party. He comes across as telegenic, well versed, articulate, and resolute. He has similar qualities that made W. Bush and Reagan popular.

Put aside his policies, he's bold. Whether he's debating Code Pink protesters or Ellen Paige, the guy is not afraid to rustle feathers. Most importantly he knows how to reach his audience - his passion is evident.

I see Cruz taking on the mantel as the leader of the party - not Rand Paul, Paul Ryan, or Marco Rubio.

He comes across much more principled/fierce than Romney and more intelligible than McCain.

What scares liberals most about Cruz is that if he were to become President, he has the ability to start the next Reagan/Conservative movement.

IMO his campaign strategy is working. He's behind Trump but I think his campaign is better built for the long-term.

Cruz is a nut. He's pretty much been banned in the Senate, locked up in a closet where he can't do any more harm. While those on the far right might look up to him as their savior, most voting Republicans are not far right wing wackos. Like most Iowa victors, it won't take long for him to fade away into the sunset, not even to be considered for VP. He is not the future of the party.

 

[Caine]

Pulling off the interesting trick of uniting evangelicals and libertarians, Cruz takes supporters who would likely otherwise flow to both Paul and Huckabee - an interesting split. Apparently an endorsement from Rep King helped out, too, which is another interesting bit. Cruz taking support from a bit of all three legs of the stool.

And, of course, Trump down is always a nice thing to read.



Apparently Iowa Evangelicals don't like being told that they are idiots and that transformative religious experiences are unbelievable or stupid.

Iowa evangelicals proved they are idiots. Cruz is a moron.

 

[cpwill]

Iowa evangelicals proved they are idiots. Cruz is a moron.

Cruz was a Supreme Court Clerk, a national debate champion, and has a perfect audiographic memory. You can disagree with him (I do on some thing, sure, and I am not a supporter of his for POTUS), but he is far from a moron.

 

[CanadaJohn]

Pulling off the interesting trick of uniting evangelicals and libertarians, Cruz takes supporters who would likely otherwise flow to both Paul and Huckabee - an interesting split. Apparently an endorsement from Rep King helped out, too, which is another interesting bit. Cruz taking support from a bit of all three legs of the stool.

And, of course, Trump down is always a nice thing to read.



Apparently Iowa Evangelicals don't like being told that they are idiots and that transformative religious experiences are unbelievable or stupid.

There's nothing new about this and Iowa. Cruz is this Republican cycle's Huckabee and Santorum before him. He will simply serve to drive out the others on the religious right in the party, such as Huckabee and Santorum, and filter some of the fringe away as well. And just like Huckabee and Santorum, his one victory in Iowa will be a distant memory as the primary season progresses.

The one bit of good news, as you note, is that it has Trump on the defensive and looking even more petty than usual.

 

[CanadaJohn]

Cruz was a Supreme Court Clerk, a national debate champion, and has a perfect audiographic memory. You can disagree with him (I do on some thing, sure, and I am not a supporter of his for POTUS), but he is far from a moron.

His credentials aren't unlike Obama's, which should be an instant disqualifier.

 

[cpwill]

Cruz is a nut. He's pretty much been banned in the Senate, locked up in a closet where he can't do any more harm. While those on the far right might look up to him as their savior, most voting Republicans are not far right wing wackos. Like most Iowa victors, it won't take long for him to fade away into the sunset, not even to be considered for VP. He is not the future of the party.

Cruz is 44 and a rising Hispanic rockstar with the base. I don't agree with everything he has done or said, but in a choice between him and McConnel types, my only question is how fast can we get rid of the latter for the former. If anything, its the McConnels who have no future in the party.

 

[Riveroaks]

Pulling off the interesting trick of uniting evangelicals and libertarians, Cruz takes supporters who would likely otherwise flow to both Paul and Huckabee - an interesting split. Apparently an endorsement from Rep King helped out, too, which is another interesting bit. Cruz taking support from a bit of all three legs of the stool.

And, of course, Trump down is always a nice thing to read.



Apparently Iowa Evangelicals don't like being told that they are idiots and that transformative religious experiences are unbelievable or stupid.

This was predicted earlier.

 

[Riveroaks]

Cruz is 44 and a rising Hispanic rockstar with the base. I don't agree with everything he has done or said, but in a choice between him and McConnel types, my only question is how fast can we get rid of the latter for the former.

Well taking him out of the Senate and kicking him up into The White House will make the Senate a safer place.

And I do not doubt that his choices of SCOTUS nominees will be excellent.

Good for him.

The fear is however that he would become alienated like Jimmy Carter did and therefore not be able to get anything done.

That's ok though because the POTUS is always supposed to be a lame duck anyway.

Plus Cuba would love it !!!

 

[Dittohead not!]

Maybe telling the voters that they're stupid doesn't garner support after all. Who knew? Not Trump.

 

[cpwill]

This was predicted earlier.

Indeed it was. As I recall, the Trump fans insisted that Trump insulting voters most deeply held beliefs would cause them to follow him all the more.


It's a weird cult of personality.

 

[cpwill]

Well taking him out of the Senate and kicking him up into The White House will make the Senate a safer place.

And I do not doubt that his choices of SCOTUS nominees will be excellent.

Good for him.

The fear is however that he would become alienated like Jimmy Carter did and therefore not be able to get anything done.

That's ok though because the POTUS is always supposed to be a lame duck anyway.

Plus Cuba would love it !!!

I think the alienation is likely, and that is a big part of why I am not a Cruz fan. The next POTUS needs to reform entitlements. That is going to take someone with people skills.

 

[Caine]

Cruz was a Supreme Court Clerk, a national debate champion, and has a perfect audiographic memory. You can disagree with him (I do on some thing, sure, and I am not a supporter of his for POTUS), but he is far from a moron.

Anybody who thinks Christian Religious Ideology belongs in the White House is a moron.

 

[Caine]

I think the alienation is likely, and that is a big part of why I am not a Cruz fan. The next POTUS needs to reform entitlements. That is going to take someone with people skills.

There is the problem right there.

The POTUS doesn't reform entitlements, the Legislature does.

 

[code1211]

The more and more I hear Ted Cruz it is pretty apparent imo he is the future of the Republican party. He comes across as telegenic, well versed, articulate, and resolute. He has similar qualities that made W. Bush and Reagan popular.

Put aside his policies, he's bold. Whether he's debating Code Pink protesters or Ellen Paige, the guy is not afraid to rustle feathers. Most importantly he knows how to reach his audience - his passion is evident.

I see Cruz taking on the mantel as the leader of the party - not Rand Paul, Paul Ryan, or Marco Rubio.

He comes across much more principled/fierce than Romney and more intelligible than McCain.

What scares liberals most about Cruz is that if he were to become President, he has the ability to start the next Reagan/Conservative movement.

IMO his campaign strategy is working. He's behind Trump but I think his campaign is better built for the long-term.

I find it interesting that Cruz and Trump seem to have some kind of mutual non attack agreement.

Might this be the Republican ticket?

It would be an interesting change from the Democrat-lite candidates offered of late.

 

[code1211]

Cruz is a nut. He's pretty much been banned in the Senate, locked up in a closet where he can't do any more harm. While those on the far right might look up to him as their savior, most voting Republicans are not far right wing wackos. Like most Iowa victors, it won't take long for him to fade away into the sunset, not even to be considered for VP. He is not the future of the party.

What are the positions you find untenable?

 

[code1211]

Cruz is 44 and a rising Hispanic rockstar with the base. I don't agree with everything he has done or said, but in a choice between him and McConnel types, my only question is how fast can we get rid of the latter for the former. If anything, its the McConnels who have no future in the party.

There is an interesting fight in the Republican party between the Democrat-Lite faction like McConnel and the more conservative young Turks like Cruz.

It should be obvious by now that the voters who prefer the Democrat will vote for the Democrat and not the Republican imitation of a Democrat.

 

[code1211]

Maybe telling the voters that they're stupid doesn't garner support after all. Who knew? Not Trump.

I thought Trump was telling the voters that their leaders were stupid.

Take, for example, the thing he said about banning Muslims or Arabs or whomever he said was to be banned.

The tactic was repeated widely while the reason for it, that our leaders don't know "what they're doing" (are uninformed, directionless, gutless and stupid) is usually left out.

While many may disagree with his prescription, they can hardly disagree with his assessment.

Our leaders prove with every every revision, mistake and inappropriate decision that Trump is right about them. The American people understand this pretty well.

 

[code1211]

There is the problem right there.

The POTUS doesn't reform entitlements, the Legislature does.

A good leader creates good followers.

A leader like the ones we have suffered with recently either creates law by deception and guile or determines the movement of the mob and runs to the front of the motion.

No grand ideas or inspiration. Just blunt force political trauma.

 

[cpwill]

I thought Trump was telling the voters that their leaders were stupid.

Take, for example, the thing he said about banning Muslims or Arabs or whomever he said was to be banned.

The tactic was repeated widely while the reason for it, that our leaders don't know "what they're doing" (are uninformed, directionless, gutless and stupid) is usually left out.

While many may disagree with his prescription, they can hardly disagree with his assessment.

Our leaders prove with every every revision, mistake and inappropriate decision that Trump is right about them. The American people understand this pretty well.

No, he said the people of Iowa were stupid, in particular evangelicals who think that faith can transform our lives. Another winning moment for The Donald :roll:

 

[Caine]

A good leader creates good followers.

A leader like the ones we have suffered with recently either creates law by deception and guile or determines the movement of the mob and runs to the front of the motion.

No grand ideas or inspiration. Just blunt force political trauma.

Clearly the focus on the President by the voting public to get policies enacted in the legislature doesn't work.

Why don't we try a new approach and have the voting public actually bother to do their ****ing due diligence and focus on learning more about who they put in the legislature instead of pretending we live in a democratic monarchy where one person controls all the laws.

The way we focus on the President, you would think that Americans want the Executive to have all the power.

 

[Caine]

No, he said the people of Iowa were stupid, in particular evangelicals who think that faith can transform our lives. Another winning moment for The Donald :roll:

And he would be right.
Faith can transform an INDIVIDUAL'S life if they need it to fill an emptyness in their character.

I don't need faith, and I sure as hell don't need my elected officials using their version of it to determine my rights and liberties as a citizen of "The Land of the Free".

 

[matchlight]

I predicted Cruz would win Iowa a while ago. Iowa's voting block is religious far right and Cruz fits the bill nicely. This means that Cruz has no hope of winning the nomination.

I don't know what "religious far right" means, if anything. The people of Iowa are not so different from most Americans. It is the people in Cambridge, and Berkeley, and other little islands of cosmopolitanism, nibbling Brie and croissants and sneering at the hoi polloi, who are outside the main stream.