Ted Cruz's victory was a testament to something, but the power of the grass roots ain't it. Here's what he told the crowd in Iowa following his victory last night: Cruz says his Iowa win is victory for 'grass roots':
A triumphant Ted Cruz told his supporters that his victory on Iowa's caucuses was evidence that grassroots conservatives — not the Washington establishment — will pick the Republican Party’s presidential nominee.
“Tonight is a victory for the grass roots,” Cruz declared to his supporters.
“Tonight is a victory for courageous conservatives across Iowa and all across this great nation. Tonight the state of Iowa has spoken. Iowa has sent notice that the Republican nominee and the next president of this United States will not be chosen by the media, will not be chosen by the Washington establishment, will not be chosen by the lobbyists, but will be chosen by the most incredible powerful force: by we the people, the American people.” [...]
The Texas senator won more than 48,000 votes — more than any Republican has ever received in the Iowa caucuses before.
“That is the most votes ever cast for any Republican primary winner," Cruz said. “Tonight is a victory for millions of Americans who shouldered the burden of seven years of Washington deals run amuck, a victory for every American who has watched in dismay as career politicians in both parties refused to listen and too often fail to keep their commitments to the people.”
Cruz may try to paint himself as a populist, but as Karoli discussed here last year, Cruz has shown himself to be a servant of the oligarchs when he signed Grover Norquists tax pledge, and Cruz has had plenty of help from religious fundamentalist mega-donors like Farris Wilks.
Hrafnkell Haraldsson summed up perfectly who actually "won" last night: Ted Cruz Out-Hates Trump Among Iowans and Wins Caucus:
Ted Cruz says the American people will chose the next president but his own constituency is extremists of all stripes
Cruz said,
“Iowa has sent notice that the Republican nominee and the next President of the United States will not be chosen by the media, will not be chosen by the Washington establishment.”
No indeed, if Cruz has his way, it will be chosen by haters.
Civil rights legend and People For the American Way board member Dolores Huerta stated:
“Ted Cruz would make a disastrous president. To win the Iowa caucus, he campaigned across the state with dangerous far-right leaders like Rep. Steve King, who called DREAMers drug dealers with ‘calves the size of cantaloupes.’ As a Senator, Ted Cruz voted against raising the minimum wage, against student loan reform, against paid sick leave. His agenda is dangerously extreme. We can’t afford a Ted Cruz presidency.
“But the fact is, it’s not just Cruz or Trump that have adopted rhetoric and policy positions that could be devastating to our communities. Marco Rubio, who placed third tonight, has followed in the footsteps of Cruz and Trump. In recent weeks, Rubio has taken a hard-right turn, painting all immigrants as possible terrorists. That’s both offensive and dangerous to immigrants across the country.”
