GOP Scrambles To Send Aid To Cruz Campaign As Prospects Look Uncertain

Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) looks down after a working luncheon on July 17, 2018 on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. (Photo by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS / AFP) (Photo credit should read ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AF... Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) looks down after a working luncheon on July 17, 2018 on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. (Photo by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS / AFP) (Photo credit should read ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP/Getty Images) MORE LESS
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Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) is pulling in the big guns, from PACs to President Donald Trump, to help him shore up his re-election bid in a race that’s looking increasingly uncertain thanks to the robust challenge by Democratic Rep. Beto O’Rourke.

According to a Sunday Politico report, the Republican powers-that-be were getting concerned about the former GOP stronghold two months ago, sending Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick to lobby the White House on Cruz’s behalf. Soon after, Trump announced an October rally for Cruz.

This is part of a larger push within the GOP to divert resources to Cruz’s campaign, considered a safe Republican hold before O’Rourke’s challenge and notable fundraising success, per Politico.

“We’re not bluffing, this is real, and it is a serious threat,” Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) told Politico. “If Ted does his job and we do ours, I think we’ll be fine. But if we have donors sitting on the sidelines thinking that, ‘Well, this isn’t all that serious,’ or ‘I don’t need to be concerned,’ then that’s a problem.”

Cruz is reportedly personally reaching out to big donors and PACs are spending heavily in the race.

The closely-watched election came to the fore again this weekend, when OMB Director Mick Mulvaney made (since leaked) comments in a closed-door event with donors about the severity of the situation and the very real possibility that Cruz could lose.

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Notable Replies

  1. If all that money goes towards buying more air time to show off the candidate, I’m all for it. The more people see of Ted Cruz, the less they like him.

    ETA: He’s Joe McCarthy, without the charm.

  2. Avatar for davidn davidn says:

    There will come a time when Republicans keep pushing the same levers, but support no longer pops out. It is the certain problem of building everything on propaganda and nothing else.

    It would be better if that time was now, but we will see.

  3. Avatar for judy_b judy_b says:

    Beto has built a huge truly grassroots ground campaign in Texas. He and many Texan are working their butts off to get him elected. Whereas Cruz has just coasted on being a republican in a supposedly deep red state. It will be interesting to see if large TV buys by Cruz can offset Beto’s grassroots ground campaign. GO BETO!!

  4. The dotard insults him, insults his wife and yet he sucks up to him for help. What a spineless weasel. Why would Texans support such a big time loser is beyond me. Seems like tRump-taint would hurt not help.

    ETTD.

  5. Poor ol` Rafael - getting his tighty-whiteys in a twist .

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