You may have thought you were done with Ted Cruz. But you would be wrong.
Cruz’s campaign for president lasted far longer than anyone expected, in large part because he is a smart (if smarmy) candidate. But bowing to the inevitable last week, Cruz ended his campaign.
For this year. For 2020–that’s another question altogether. In fact, Cruz is already doing his best to ensure he is the frontrunner in 2020.
Here are five signs that Cruz is positioning himself for the next presidential race.
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1.His withdrawal speech was about the future. When candidates pull the plug on their campaign, the speech generally follows a certain pattern, including the promise that the fight will go on. With Cruz, that part of the speech was especially heartfelt. “I am not suspending our fight to defend the constitution, to defend the Judeo-Christian values that built America,” Cruz promised. “Our movement will continue and I give you my word that I will continue this fight with all of my strength and all of my ability. You are extraordinary and we will continue to fight next week and next month and next year and together we will continue as long as god grants us the strength to fight on.” Hardly the words of a man who was throwing in the towel for good.
2.Heidi Cruz compares her husband’s campaign to ending slavery. Okay, not exactly a milestone in racial sensitivity, but consider the source. But in comments to Ted’s National Prayer Team this week, Heidi tried to buck up the group’s spirits. “Be full of faith and so full of joy that this team was chosen to fight a long battle,” Heidi said. “Think that slavery — it took 25 years to defeat slavery. That is a lot longer than four years.” The implication is that Cruz isn’t going to give up after one try. Think crusade, not campaign.
3.Ted is hinting that 2016 isn’t quite over. In comments to fellow wingnut Glenn Beck, Cruz was willing to offer himself up as nominee in case Trump manages to self-destruct before he is officially nominated. “The reason we suspended the race last week is with Indiana’s loss, I didn’t see a viable path to victory. If that changes, we will certainly respond accordingly,” Cruz said. In a nod to reality, Cruz admitted that he wasn’t holding his breath (too bad).
4. He’s planning to control the platform at this year’s GOP convention. Cruz lost the campaign, but he’s not about to give up on steering the party in his direction. Cruz is assuming (with good reason) that Trump will go down in flames in November. So he’s positioning himself to call the shots in the aftermath. One way of doing that is by setting the policies that Republicans will have to follow. In essence, Cruz is ensuring that the party’s point of view is the same of his and not just for this election cycle. If Trump fails as a candidate, Cruz will argue it was because he never truly embraced the platform. Guess who will.
5. Cruz is running for re-election to his Senate seat. Normally, this is a sign that the candidate isn’t mounting a presidential campaign. After all, being Senator is (in theory) full-time job. But Cruz needs to run for re-election. His appeal (for want of a better word) is as the anti-establishment candidate. He loses his biggest selling point for his base if he isn’t in the Senate to grandstand with destructive gestures and enrage his fellow Republicans. The last thing Cruz can afford–or stomach–is not being the center of attention. We can count on him doing everything possible to hold the spotlight right through 2020.
Sluggo2007
He won’t win in ANY year.
GC1985
With the impending massive failure of Trump in November, the republican party is starting to crumble and fall apart. If a failure like Trump was able to get through the nomination, why would Cruz have any chance? Since Trump is a big failure at life, what does that make the rest of the republican party lol?
I haven’t been on this site in a while… forgot about it lol.
GG
Hopefully, in four years’ time his hateful, un-American rhetoric will be eschewed by an even larger percentage of the population, and he and his dominionist ideas will go the way of huckabee, santorum, et. al.
onthemark
@GC1985: I never thought I’d say this, GC, but welcome back! SOME of us missed you. I like the new and improved GC.
GC1985
@onthemark: I’ll still be off and on as I work full time now. I see you can’t flag posts on here anymore? Typical queerty.
I just was super busy. Like most liberals, many of us work hard (or have done so most of our lives)… I can’t file for bankruptcy to protect my assets or marry my way into wealth like a typical republican.
GC1985
BTW, if some are concerned about Sanders staying in too long, he’s a non-factor at this point. 280+ delegates ahead, and no momentum for the Bern. It’s hilarious how some of his staffers think he has momentum after winning West Virginia. Hilarity. I take it Hillary winning New York wasn’t momentum lol.
onthemark
@GC1985: The disappearance of the auto-flag feature (which you have complained about in the past) seems to mean a more pro-active approach by the editors.
NateOcean
Every time I see Ted Cruz’s mouth, I think there should be a fish-hook hanging out of it.
Brian
Ted Cruz’s face would make hysterical fodder for daily comedy skits.
1EqualityUSA
This wad doesn’t seem to understand that everybody (including his own children) hates him. He will never be President, despite his Dominionist elders gathering ’round the prepubescent Tard Cruz to decree that he would be one day (ew). I hope he loses his Senate seat. He can go join a anti-gay ministry. He and Pastor Kevin Swanson got on well enough. He’ll have a job waiting for him.
captainburrito
Please let him lose his Senate seat!!! Then he might switch to the House instead which gives him far less opportunity to be sh1tkicker and stay in the headlines.
JohnAGJ
I seriously doubt that he’ll get anywhere near even the traction he had this time in 4 years. He was “lucky” to run against Trump, painting himself as the conservative “savior”. Four years from now the playing field will be VERY different – especially if Trump wins in November. For all of the latter’s faults, and Lord knows there are many, he isn’t a social con. That alone will change the GOP, probably faster than anything else. Should Clinton win, the GOP will still undergo some changes but probably not as quickly. I’m speaking here mainly of social issues, all the others will still be up for grabs. He may run in 2020, but at that point he’ll be like Huckabee and get nowhere. Time to get a show on Fox News, Ted. Ha!
GC1985
@JohnAGJ: Trump won’t be winning in november. Total train wreck. Yes the playing field will be different. Republicans losing again with more conservatives and loud mouth idiots.
1EqualityUSA
What non-vetted entity will they dust off for 2016, to oust the Donald?
1EqualityUSA
Queerty, this pic of th’ blossom is priceless. He looks like a vintage bank, with a moveable tongue that swallows up coins.
JohnAGJ
@GC1985: Maybe, maybe not. We’ll have to wait and see in November. Personally, I could care less which one wins since I dislike them both and believe that neither will make a good president. Unfortunately though, we are stuck with Clinton or Trump. Yay… As for 2020, who knows? Both major parties have undergone huge changes in their histories and should the GOP survive, I expect it will do the same. Either that or it will go the way of the Whigs which it replaced…