Will Ted Cruz Help Defeat the GOP in 2016?

While I cannot stand the Christofascists or the Republicans who shamelessly prostitute themselves to such religious extremists,  allowing the Christofascists to define the GOP and its policies may be the quickest way to guarantee a Democratic Party victory in 2016.  And right now, Ted Cruz, a true pandering whore from Texas seems to be the Christofascists darling in the GOP although as noted recently, the utterly mentally disturbed Rick Santorum wants to reprise his 2012 presidential run - something that ought to thrill Democrats.  The problem for Cruz, of course is that while he plays well to evangelicals who want to overthrow the U.S. Constitution, most sane folks view him as downright frightening.  Another Joe McCarthy want to be, if you will.  A piece in the Washington Post looks at the far right's dalliance with Cruz.   Here are highlights:

While there is not yet a front-runner in the early race for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination, Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas is quickly becoming the favored contender of social conservatives, riding a recent wave of fiery speeches and standing ovations at right-wing conferences.

Cruz’s core supporters on the right are the activists and high-powered interest groups determined to keep faith-infused positions at the center of the Republican Party, regardless of a push by some in the GOP to seek distance from socially conservative stands on marriage and abortion. 

Greg Mueller, a conservative strategist who has worked on three Republican presidential campaigns, said that what is fueling Cruz’s rise is a fierce determination by social conservatives not to be dictated to in 2016 — as he believes they were in the past two elections, told to rally around more centrist nominees.

“Many social conservatives feel their issues have been kicked to the side, and they are frustrated. Someone like Cruz taking the nomination in 2016 would give them a voice again,” he said.

Conservatives see an opening in the disarray in the GOP establishment, which has yet to settle on its preferred candidate amid former Florida governor Jeb Bush’s indecision about running and the troubles of New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie . . . . 

Ralph Reed, chairman of the Faith and Freedom Coalition, has known Cruz since they worked together on George W. Bush’s 2000 presidential campaign. He believes Cruz would do “extremely well” with social conservatives. 

Longtime Republican consultant Ed Rollins said that even as he watches Cruz ascend, others hardly on the party’s map could become challengers for Cruz’s base, particularly former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee.  . . . . Huckabee was also at the Values Voter Summit, shaking hands in the hallways with college Republicans and urging evangelicals to get back into the arena in force ahead of 2016.

Former Pennsylvania senator Rick Santorum, a socially conservative iconoclast who tested Romney during the 2012 primary and won 11 primary contests, is also considering another bid. He said over the weekend that he is unhappy with the lack of attention he has received since his last campaign folded but is confident he could compete.

Disappointment over what is seen as the GOP’s drift toward a watered-down platform on traditional values was rampant at this year’s [Value Voters hate] summit.

According to a McClatchy-Marist poll in August, there is no candidate who stands out. In that poll, Cruz was chosen by 10 percent of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents for the 2016 nomination, behind Bush and Christie at 13 percent each. For Republicans who support the tea party, Cruz comes in first with 15 percent.

Cruz, Huckabee, Santorum - all are scary individuals and, if nominated by the GOP, could galvanize Democrats and non-theocrats to hold their noses and vote Democrat even if they are not in love with the Democrat candidate whoever he or she might be.  Meanwhile, the far right has learned nothing from their nomination of an extremists slate in Virginia in 2013.