The election results Tuesday night in Wisconsin have experts asking whether the rise of Donald Trump is over—and whether the new era of Ted Cruz is just over the horizon.
But before anyone starts predicting a great and glorious reign for the man who, up until a few weeks ago, was only the lead candidate among Americans looking to punch a Presidential contender, consider that while Ted Cruz may be racking up delegates, he’s still lacking in support among Republicans, both within Washington and without.
According to a poll of Wisconsin Republicans conducted ahead of Tuesday’s primary, voters with a history in politics weren’t so much voting for Ted Cruz as they were against Donald Trump. His reputation as a hardliner in the Senate, his use of religious rhetoric and his recent embrace of anti-immigration politics make him a questionable Presidential choice at best.
For Wisconsin voters willing to hold their nose, he was at least better than the alternative. Wisconsin was a “firewall” designed to freeze Trump’s momentum—not a definitive moment for GOP activists. Among Tuesday’s voters, only 65% would consider supporting Ted Cruz in the general. That’s barely ahead of the 61% percent who would consider Trump.
Inside DC circles, the enthusiasm for Cruz is just as muted. Even as Cruz basked in his resounding Wisconsin victory, you couldn’t exactly taste the excitement over Cruz in the Republican senate. According to CNN, most GOP legislators were “remaining mum“—including Marco Rubio (for now)—and one Washington colleague, Sen. Jim Risch, could barely eke out some cold support for Wolf Blitzer on CNN’s The Situation Room. Would he back the Texas Senator? “I guess,” he said.
Not exactly a thrilling endorsement.
Cruz has only himself to blame. His attitude towards GOP moderates hasn’t changed since his time on the Senate floor, chastising his colleagues over their lack of support for his anti-Obamacare antics —it’s just been obscured as voters flee in fear of Donald Trump.
While Trump dominates the airwaves with his angry rhetoric and unnatural skin color, he and Ted Cruz’s core platforms don’t necessarily diverge. Cruz has adopted Trump’s extreme stance on immigration, and has taken to questioning the New York businessman’s credibility on the subject, rather than whether Donald’s position itself is mainstream. Cruz is, objectively, the most conservative candidate to run in decades, and that puts him well out of touch with most Americans. And while he considers himself to the right economically, his tax plan isn’t a favorite among investors.
And that’s just with Republicans. Cruz did finally manage to break through to self-described moderates and independents in Wisconsin, but just a few short hours in New York were enough to disabuse anyone of Ted Cruz‘s widespread appeal.
For now, Cruz can rest easy knowing he’s the only choice in the battle to topple Donald Trump, but he may not be the top choice for long.
