Cruz Dismisses Iowa Guv’s Criticism: He’s Just Part Of ‘Washington Cartel’

Republican presidential candidate, Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas speaks during a campaign stop at the Freedom Country Store, Tuesday, Jan. 19, 2016, in Freedom, N.H. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)
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Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) on Tuesday fired back at Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad (R) for his remarks that the Texas senator’s stance on renewable fuels like ethanol would be “damaging” to Iowa.

“It is not a surprise that the establishment is in full panic mode,” Cruz told BuzzFeed News in response to Branstad. “We predicted from the very beginning that the Washington cartel would fire every tool in its arsenal to prevent a conservative victory in this primary.”

At the Iowa Renewable Fuels Summit on Tuesday, Branstad said that “it would be a big mistake for Iowa to support” Cruz because he is “the biggest opponent of renewable fuels.”

Cruz suggested on Tuesday that members of the establishment like Branstad are beginning to support Donald Trump.

“The cartel exists to make deals and to pick winners and losers through cronyism and corporate welfare,” he told BuzzFeed News. “And so it’s no surprise that more and more of the establishment is beginning to support Donald Trump. Because Donald has promised to make deals and to continue the cronyism and corporate welfare of Washington. That’s what the cartel does. They make deals with Democrats.”

The senator later told reporters that that corn farmers in Iowa aren’t looking for “career politicians.”

“I’m saying Iowa corn farmers are wonderful Americans, but Iowa corn farmers are not career politicians,” Cruz said, according to Politico. “Iowa corn farmers are frustrated with career politicians. They’re fed up with politicians who make deals every day to grow government, to expand the debt.”

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Notable Replies

  1. “That’s what the cartel does. They make deals with Democrats.” (Sen. Ted Cruz)

    No, Senator, that’s what grown-up members of Congress do.

  2. “That’s what the cartel does. They make deals with Democrats.”

    Yeah, I don't understand why Democrats should have any say in the laws and policies of the nation. Certainly the GOP shouldn't have to make any deals with them. Republicans should decree what they think needs done and that should be the end of it. Democrats can agree or not, but incorporating their ideas, resolving differences, reaching compromise is lunacy. Cruz has this governing thing down to a science, we should all just hop on board for the ride. It's very difficult to avoid supporting a charismatic dictator.
  3. Avatar for darcy darcy says:

    This poor bastard must be out of words and excuses. Since when has a Republican governor from Iowa ever been part of the ‘Washington Cartel’? Jeez louise.

  4. Avatar for fgs fgs says:

    No, Democrats want to fire every tool.

  5. What he didn’t say was “its false…I’m a strong supporter of Ethanol production and my administration will enact polices in support of bio-fuels”…and it’s my guess the “hard working” corn farmers of Iowa noted that. How can Cruz’s handlers think this will work? Those corn farmers make a living off ethanol production that’s sustained by “career politicians that make deals with Democrats” subsidizing ethanol production with federal dollars. How much does Cruz think he can reverse the reality of that equation and come out with the folks that live that reality every day?

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