Donald Trump Stokes Ted Cruz-Rick Perry Senate Primary Intrigue In Texas

FILE - In this Jan. 28, 2016, file photo, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump poses with a ring given to him by a group of veterans during a campaign event on the campus of Drake University in Des Moines, ... FILE - In this Jan. 28, 2016, file photo, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump poses with a ring given to him by a group of veterans during a campaign event on the campus of Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, File) MORE LESS
Start your day with TPM.
Sign up for the Morning Memo newsletter

Donald Trump had nothing but the best things to say about Texas Gov. Rick Perry (R) during a Texas fundraiser Tuesday when he was asked about a potential Perry Senate primary challenge to incumbent Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX).

“I’ve been hearing a lot about that and I don’t know if he wants to do it, but boy will he do well,” Trump said in an audio clip posted online by Democratic group Lone Star Project.

The Texas Tribune reported it had verified the audio with two additional sources and confirmed that Trump was responding to a question about Perry challenging Cruz for the Senate (no such challenge actually exists, but ever since Cruz refused to endorse Trump at the Republican national convention in Cleveland, some questions have remained about his Cruz’s 2018 re-election bid.)

“I don’t know what he’s going to do but you are one popular guy all
over, but in Texas in particular,” Trump said.

It was hardly a full-throated endorsement, but it was in line with Trump’s past behavior of weighing in on GOP primaries. A poll from Democratic polling firm PPP last week showed that Perry was leading Cruz in a one-on-one primary matchup.

Latest Livewire
45
Show Comments

Notable Replies

  1. Honesty escapes Trumpf, on even the must mundane subjects.

    Hey, Donny-Boy, Rick is a blithering idiot. Or hadn’t you noticed?

  2. Cruz: I guess I am voting Hillary.

  3. Cruz is revolting, but so is Perry.

    Texas, always the worst of the worst.

  4. Why is Trump not being honest here? How do you know?

  5. To which Perry replied, “Oh God! Kiss of Death! Rub it off, rub it off!”

Continue the discussion at forums.talkingpointsmemo.com

39 more replies

Participants

Avatar for system1 Avatar for ajaykalra Avatar for littlegirlblue Avatar for mmurdoch Avatar for meri Avatar for old_curmudgeon Avatar for eldonlazar Avatar for rudesan Avatar for wwss Avatar for inlabsitrust Avatar for stradivarius50t3 Avatar for gobydoc Avatar for ignoreland Avatar for texasswampbuggy Avatar for musgrove Avatar for neal_anderthal Avatar for serendipitoussomnambulist Avatar for mrf Avatar for tena Avatar for jacksonhts Avatar for machoneman Avatar for maximus Avatar for badabingo Avatar for overthefall96

Continue Discussion
Masthead Masthead
Founder & Editor-in-Chief:
Executive Editor:
Managing Editor:
Deputy Editor:
Editor at Large:
General Counsel:
Publisher:
Head of Product:
Director of Technology:
Associate Publisher:
Front End Developer:
Senior Designer: