How Donald Trump may attack Ted Cruz in Iowa
Donald Trump may be getting ready to slam Ted Cruz.
Why? Mr. Cruz is threatening Mr. Trump鈥檚 lead in the crucial early caucus state of Iowa. And the Texas senator reportedly told a gathering of donors earlier this week that he doubts Trump has the 鈥渏udgment鈥� to be commander-in-chief.
All this appears to have convinced Trump to punch Cruz鈥檚 coordinates into his insult artillery, despite the fact that the two of them have maintained cordial relations to this point.
鈥淟ooks like @tedcruz is getting ready to attack. I am leading by so much he must. I hope so, he will fall like all others. Will be easy!鈥� Trump tweeted on Friday morning.
Here鈥檚 how Trump, a master at finding his opponents鈥� weak points, might mount his 鈥渆asy鈥� anti-Cruz assault.
Label Cruz unlikable. It鈥檚 no secret many of Cruz鈥檚 Senate colleagues are not fond of his grandstanding. GOP lawmakers in particular are irked by his charges that their lack of will is what鈥檚 behind the party鈥檚 failure to enact more conservative legislation.
Most of this grumbling is anonymous. Trump鈥檚 won鈥檛 be. The real estate magnate delights in personal digs, from calling Jeb Bush 鈥渓ow energy鈥� to branding Ben Carson 鈥減athological.鈥� Expect Trump to find unsubtle ways to bring this up.
Call him a puppet. Trump is already making an issue of the fact that Cruz鈥檚 alleged insult of his judgment occurred at a private meeting with donors. Or, as Trump calls them, 鈥渂osses.鈥�
鈥淍tedcruz should not make statements behind closed doors to his bosses, he should bring them out into the open 鈥� more fun that way!鈥� Trump tweeted Friday.
This is Trump-speak for 鈥測ou鈥檙e bought and paid for.鈥� Trump often boasts that he鈥檚 so rich he doesn鈥檛 need donations and the strings they inevitably bring with them.
Pronounce him unelectable. Cruz has positioned himself to be a Donald Trump who is more acceptable to party leaders and the electorate as a whole. Trump, jiu-jitsu master, is likely to flip that around and charge that Cruz is the candidate who is fatally flawed.
Trump could say that Cruz鈥檚 appeal is narrow, as he excites only evangelical and very conservative voters. He could point out that Cruz has said he favors a return to the gold standard, and that his (Cruz鈥檚) tax plan contains a hidden 19 percent national sales tax.
Non-Trump pundits have raised all these points. Some say Trump is right 鈥� he might be the superior choice for the Republican Party.
With the exception of immigration and the blocking of Muslims at the US border, 鈥淭rump鈥檚 actual policy positions are generally more moderate than Cruz鈥檚, and his support within the GOP primary electorate does not look particularly ideological,鈥� wrote Vox鈥檚 Matthew Yglesias .
