Texas GOP Senate Runoff

[Oldiesfreak1854]

I thought the Lt. Gov's office in Texas was pretty weak.  Perry is pretty unpopular now based on what I've heard, and Huckabee endorsed Dewhurst.  BTW: Newt Gingrich was a great debater too, but during the primaries, he was the candidate who polled the worst against Pres. Obama.  I don't want someone who can debate the Democrats; I want someone who can defeat them.  Dewhurst and Cruz are both leading in the general election polls that I've seen, but Dewhurst polls better.  Dewhurst is just more mainstream and can get more votes from outside the base, even in a state like Texas.  I'm not saying that Cruz would jeopardize the GOP's chances of holding the seat, just that a Dem pickup is more likely with him than with Dewhurst.

[Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Is the difference that great between the two's performances in the polls as to be more than just name recognition?


Applying a uniform standard across all these states is big mistake and I have said the same when the TP was going on about killing all the rinos. In some states, the establishment candidate is the best, but all my criteria are saying this isn't one of them.

[Jbrase]

I thought the Lt. Gov's office in Texas was pretty weak.

In Texas we have a Dual Executive type of Government so both the Governor and Lt. Governor have roughly equal power.

[RogueBeaver]

About that debate.

http://blog.chron.com/txpotomac/2012/07/commentary-ted-cruz-is-big-winner-of-final-gop-senate-debate/

[Oldiesfreak1854]

Is the difference that great between the two's performances in the polls as to be more than just name recognition?


Applying a uniform standard across all these states is big mistake and I have said the same when the TP was going on about killing all the rinos. In some states, the establishment candidate is the best, but all my criteria are saying this isn't one of them.

I could not agree more!!!!

[Governor Maxwell]

I would rather support Ted Cruz, who is on the growing Rand Paul sect of the republican party, than David Dewhurst and his band of lobbyists.

[Oldiesfreak1854]

But the rest of the nation isn't ready for libertarian conservatives like Rand Paul.

[Keystone Phil]

I wouldn't say Cruz is a Paul type. After all, Santorum endorsed him.

[Jbrase]

I wouldn't say Cruz is a Paul type. After all, Santorum endorsed him.

Cruz is closer to Rand than he is to Santorum and a ton of libertarians* and actual conservatives support him.

*Some, such as my self, unenthusiastically.

[stegosaurus]

Being the "establishment candidate" does not make one a moderate. I voted for Cruz because Dewhurst is an establishment brat with an entitlement complex; not because the latter lacks right-wing cred. Dewhurst is a party line Republican, no more or less.

Ted Cruz is a proponent of the "Obama is anti-American" dumbassery, but is less likely to be the special-interest stooge that Dewhurst would be. There's virtually no difference between the two ideologically.

[MilesC56]

I'm pulling for Dewhurst.

[Pacific Justice IBDD]

im going with Dewhurst

[Rockefeller]

David Dewhurst.  The Lone Star State has to secure its pork somehow...

[Governor Maxwell]

But the rest of the nation isn't ready for libertarian conservatives like Rand Paul.

There is no way a republican can lose in Texas, and the people are tired of guys who hang around lobbyists all the time.

[Oldiesfreak1854]

But the rest of the nation isn't ready for libertarian conservatives like Rand Paul.

There is no way a republican can lose in Texas, and the people are tired of guys who hang around lobbyists all the time.

I would agree with that, at least at this time, but Dewhurst would do much better in a general election nonetheless.  Cruz is a good candidate, maybe even better overall than Dewhurst, but his nomination would set a dangerous precedent for the GOP in other states (much like candidates like Bill Brady, Christine O'Donnell, Sharron Angle, and Ken Buck did two years ago) that aren't as conservative/Republican of nominating far-right, unelectable candidates and losing more and more elections because of it.  Bill Buckley always said to support the most conservative candidate who can win, and while Cruz may be that candidate, nominating him will encourage Republicans in other states to do the same with candidates who are too fat-right for the general electorate.  If we had heeded Buckley's advice in 2010, Harry Reid would not be a Senator today, and neither would Chris Coons or Michael Bennet.  Pat Quinn would also not be Governor of Illinois today.  I'll just say this once to my fellow Republicans, but it's your party, and you'll lose if you want to.

[Senator North Carolina Yankee]

But the rest of the nation isn't ready for libertarian conservatives like Rand Paul.

There is no way a republican can lose in Texas, and the people are tired of guys who hang around lobbyists all the time.

I would agree with that, at least at this time, but Dewhurst would do much better in a general election nonetheless.  Cruz is a good candidate, maybe even better overall than Dewhurst, but his nomination would set a dangerous precedent for the GOP in other states (much like candidates like Bill Brady, Christine O'Donnell, Sharron Angle, and Ken Buck did two years ago) that aren't as conservative/Republican of nominating far-right, unelectable candidates and losing more and more elections because of it.  Bill Buckley always said to support the most conservative candidate who can win, and while Cruz may be that candidate, nominating him will encourage Republicans in other states to do the same with candidates who are too fat-right for the general electorate.  If we had heeded Buckley's advice in 2010, Harry Reid would not be a Senator today, and neither would Chris Coons or Michael Bennet.  Pat Quinn would also not be Governor of Illinois today.  I'll just say this once to my fellow Republicans, but it's your party, and you'll lose if you want to.

A point which makes no sense because we have already had Indiana and Nebraska this year plus all the primaries in the previous cycle. The precedent for throwing off establishment candidates is well set going all the way back to 2008 when Jason Chaffetz defeated Chris Cannon in the UT-03 GOP primary.

You also stated previously that you agreed with my point about not applying a uniform standard to all these states yet you essentially doing that here now saying that unless you support the establishment candidate everywhere, he will lose everywhere.

Plus losing 5 points on the general election margin (something which I doubt considering that Cruz has every potential to outperform Dewhurst as underperform him. I should note that in atleast one poll the Democrats poll the same against them, furthering the case for the difference to be a familiarity gap), is well worth it considering a choice between a corrupted insider and energetic challanger. Even more so when you consider there is little daylight ideologically between them, either.

[RogueBeaver]

The Buckley Rule clearly applies to Cruz here. Don't worry, Dewhurst will still be around... he's running for a fourth term in 2014.

[Oldiesfreak1854]

The Buckley Rule clearly applies to Cruz here. Don't worry, Dewhurst will still be around... he's running for a fourth term in 2014.

I don't mean to sound rude, but how do you know?  And besides, Gov. Perry will probably not run again, so he might decide to run for governor in 2014 instead.

[asexual trans victimologist]

The Buckley Rule clearly applies to Cruz here. Don't worry, Dewhurst will still be around... he's running for a fourth term in 2014.

I don't mean to sound rude, but how do you know?  And besides, Gov. Perry will probably not run again, so he might decide to run for governor in 2014 instead.

Cruz isn't extreme enough to lose in Texas. Have you gotten a load of our guys in this election? They're pretty pathetic, although I guess it might help the most minuscule bit that one of them is named Yarborough.

Lieutenant Governor or Governor, Dewhurst gonna Dew for some time to come.

[RogueBeaver]

Huh? Been widely rumoured that Perry is running again. Also heard the same about Dewhurst, though resident Texans can correct me if I'm wrong.

Back OT... more shark-jumping from Dewhurst.

http://dailycaller.com/2012/07/24/dewhurst-super-pac-ad-cruz-responsible-for-mans-suicide-video/

[asexual trans victimologist]

I'm not sure how I feel about the idea of Rick Perry becoming the longest continuously serving US governor in history.

[Senator North Carolina Yankee]

The runoff is next Tuesday, correct?

[Jbrase]

The runoff is next Tuesday, correct?

Si

[Svensson]

I wouldn't say Cruz is a Paul type. After all, Santorum endorsed him.

As did Mike Lee and both Pauls themselves.

[Talleyrand]

My dad voted for Dewhurst with some prodding from me. I thought voting in the GOP primary would be more productive right now.