Cruz emerges as GOP leader

[brooklynite]

Source: Public Policy Polling

Cruz emerges as GOP leader

PPP's newest national poll finds Ted Cruz is now the top choice of Republican primary voters to be their candidate for President in 2016. He leads the way with 20% to 17% for Rand Paul, 14% for Chris Christie, 11% for Jeb Bush, 10% each for Marco Rubio and Paul Ryan, 4% for Bobby Jindal, and 3% each for Rick Santorum and Scott Walker.

Cruz has gained 8 points since our last national 2016 poll in July while everyone else has more or less stayed in place. He's made himself the face of a government shutdown over Obamacare, and the Republican base supports that by a 64/20 margin. It's not surprising that Republicans identifying as 'very conservative' support a shutdown 75/10, but even the moderate wing of the party supports it by a 46/36 margin.

Cruz is leading the GOP field based especially on his appeal to 'very conservative' primary voters, who he gets 34% with t0 17% for Rand Paul and 12% for Paul Ryan. Voters who fall into that ideological group make up the largest portion of the Republican electorate at 39%. With moderates Cruz gets only 4% with Christie leading at 34% to 12% for Jeb Bush and 10% for Marco Rubio, but they only account for 18% of GOP voters and thus aren't all that relevant to Cruz's prospects for winning a Republican nomination.

Our numbers also suggest that Cruz is now viewed more broadly as the leader of the Republican Party. When asked whether they trust Cruz or GOP leader Mitch McConnell more, Cruz wins out 49/13. When it comes to who's more trusted between Cruz and Speaker John Boehner, Cruz has a 51/20 advantage. And when it comes to Cruz and 2008 GOP nominee and Senate colleague John McCain, Cruz wins out 52/31. He now has more credibility with the GOP base than the folks who have been leading the party for years.

Read more: http://www.publicpolicypolling.com/main/2013/09/cruz-emerges-as-gop-leader.html

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I trust that the people here who insist that they'll never vote for Hillary Clinton -- even if she's the nominee -- will be satisfied with the alternative.

[apnu]

1. I would vote for a Democratic ficus plant over any GOP.

I was an Obama supporter in the early days of the Dem primary battles, the PUMAs annoyed the shit out of me, but I don't hold them against Hillary. If she's the Dem nom, she's got my vote. Its that simple.

[elleng]

2. Obviously they will be satisfied

but what are the chances that today's PPP poll will hold until primary season for '16???

[Turborama]

34. Over 3 years to go? Zero.

Remember how many "front runners" there were leading up to the last election? Even Herman Cain (remember him?) was a contender for a while! LOL

I suppose PPP have to earn a wage somehow.

[Roland99]

3. BWA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!!

What a leader!

[NMDemDist2]

40. ^^^^^^^ this^^^^^^^^^ n/t

[leftynyc]

4. Can we get that lucky?

To have this raving lunatic as the nominee? I'm thinking the money establishment types will not like that at all. This could be tons of fun.

[Enrique]

5. this thread needs music

that list of 2016 hopeful deserves something epic:

[sharp_stick]

8. Perfect music

the title fits how the Cruz fans think they look and the actual music fits a modern reality.

[grantcart]

24. well played

and the music is well played as well.

[Berlin Expat]

36. That is well done,

I must say.

Given the ever-rightward lunatic drift of the GOP, perhaps they should consider the following as their 2014 mid-term campaign theme music:

[AZ Mike]

6. Funny....

....but Cruz will go the way of the Herman Cain by the time the election rolls around.

[Myrina]

7. Oh please oh please oh please oh please ...

... when more than 60% of respondents to a poll on a conservative-leaning newspaper site say he's a 'showboating waste of time', yes please make him the face of the GOP.

[dkf]

9. Wow. I was thinking the guy is crazy like a fox.

He knows his base better than McConnell and Boehner. No wonder McCain is apoplectic.

Ted Cruz is great entertainment in the politics as fun category. Too bad the consequences are so serious.

The danger is if voters are unserious they could do something very stupid.

[DFW]

10. Just like Herman Cain and Newt Gingrich were briefly in 2012?

Cruz is a leader like a cactus flower blooms in the Texas desert--brief and flashy, but bringing a lot of pain if examined closely, and in any case of very short duration in the best of circumstances.

[Cryptoad]

11. The Clown Show of Shows.......

More popcorn please!

[alsame]

12. That's only because

Trump hasn't announced his candidacy yet

[SaveOurDemocracy]

13. LOLLLLLLLLLLLL! One can only hope...

[caledesi]

14. Is that the best they can do? Ted Cruz? PATHETIC! NT

[Blue Idaho]

15. Leading them where exactly?

Into extinction? Go Ted!

[Bobcat]

16. Banner?

Mission accomplished.

[mike_c]

17. Cruz/Palin 2014! I might even buy a television, just to see the clown show....

[SummerSnow]

28. Their campaign theme song will be 'send in the clowns'

Cruz

Palin

[Doctor_J]

18. Really? Here on DU he was declared dead

by the same people who said (20 years ago) that Limpballs had "gone too far". Denial is a deep river.

[big_dog]

19. the wingnut base is finally showing itself

and will bring down the GOP in flames

[dipsydoodle]

20. Shall we call him Vera ?

.

[Faygo Kid]

21. Of course! That's what his stunts are all about

It's government of Ted, for Ted and by Ted. It's all about Ted and his demagogic quest for power, and has nothing to do with anything else.

The GOP is completely insane now, but they still rule the Supreme Court and the big $$$. This will not end well.

[Comrade Grumpy]

22. Good. The drive over the cliff continues apace.

[grantcart]

23. It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

[Tikki]

25. ...and maybe he'll ask sarah to the prom...

Tikki

[Robbins]

26. Cruz

He's the new Star of GOP.I can see him winning the nomination In 2016.They think Obama won because Mccain and Romney were too
Liberal.

The clintons would be very happy to face him.maybe Cruz can get Palin to be his running mate so she can go down twice to a Democratic victory.

Hillary Is the likely Democratic nominee for 2016.I would support another In primarys but you can bet your ass I will vote for her In
November 2016 over any republican despite my feelings she Is to right of Obama.She will be better than any Republican.

There Isn't another Obama In the wings against her.Obama was a star after his speech at 2004 Convention and people knew he would run for president someday. The closest we could have to another obama In the wings Is Elizabeth Warren but i don't know if she even wants to run for president.

[nyquil_man]

27. It looks like it could be another primary where the 'moderate' wins by default

if the conservatives never coalesce behind a single candidate.

[NV Whino]

29. !

Really? Has the author of that piece been reading what many of the GOP have been saying about Cruz?

[DJ13]

30. Excellent news

[Wilms]

31. Hey, Brooklynite. You should be a campaign manager for Hillary.

I mean, you make such a persuasive argument.

Hillary 2016...because she's better than Cruz.

Wow. Awesome endorsement.

[brooklynite]

39. Thanks but I don't need to...

...if she runs, her campaign will offer plenty of compelling reasons to vote for her...which some people here have already said they won't consider.

[eggplant]

32. And the clown car starts to fill.

As far as the Hillary comment in the OP, I'll be happy to irrevocably cast my vote for "whomever is the D nominee in 2016" right now. Lots of good choices, and it'll be fun rallying around the one(s) I like the most, but whatever comes from the convention, so be it.

[RussBLib]

33. ok, so everybody hates Ted, but he's now the GOP leader

Everybody hates Ted: http://www.democraticunderground.com/101674362 - but he's now "leading" the GOP.

Sounds like today's GOP.

Unfortunately, there are a whole lot of bigoted, sexist assholes in America that are not going to go away just because the GOP is ripping itself apart.

[maxsolomon]

35. Careful not to laugh too hard

Cruz is "smart", an Ivy-leaguer, a "master debater", and fairly young (younger than me). And yes, he's a born-and-bred anti-Castro Bircher dick.

But I believe there are many scenarios in which the great unwashed of America will willingly elect a wily Fascist Wrapped in the American Flag.

[madrchsod]

38. i agree...the guy has some really impressive credentials.

whether or not he can turn them into a viable presidential campaign is the question.

[totodeinhere]

41. I wonder if having an Hispanic surname will help him at all with Hispanic voters.

I certainly don't think he could get a majority of Hispanic voters, but in a close election getting only a few percentage points more than Romney got from that voting demographic might make a difference.

But having said that, I don't think that the 2016 election will be a close election no matter who the GOP nominee is. I'm sticking by my Democrats by a landslide prediction. The Republican Party has just gone too far off the deep end and IMO they are unelectable nationally. However they might get enough support from red states and red districts to continue to do mischief in Congress.

[totodeinhere]

37. Bring it on Teddy Boy. Any Democrat would beat you in a landslide. n/t

[Snake Plissken]

42. And prior to Cruz it was Palin, Bachmann and Santorum who were polling as the leader of the GOP

Even Trump was polling as their leader in early 2012.

If Gary Busey tossed his hat into the ring he'd be the leader of the GOP right now.

[silvershadow]

45. Gary Busey would be a formidable contender, as compared to the current Republican crop of potential

contenders. And that is saying something. I don't care how Ivy-league educated Cruz is, he is NOT in any way, shape or form Presidential material.

[blkmusclmachine]

43. Still won't vote for HRC.

No. Damn. Way.

[silvershadow]

44. Not only is he a Senator, but also Speaker of the House, and R whip. nt