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News Monday, Sep 10 2018

National Republicans Hit The Panic Button In Texas

Sep 10, 2018

“At the first sign of trouble, Ted Cruz abandoned his long-held facade of independence and ran straight to K Street. Now, he’s dragging national Republicans down with him in his attempt to save his Senate campaign,” said American Bridge spokesperson Amelia Penniman.

Politico: Inside the GOP’s rescue mission for Ted Cruz
By Alex Isenstadt | September 9, 2018

  • “With a string of polls showing GOP Sen. Ted Cruz’s lead slipping, Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick showed up in Washington on July 25 to deliver an urgent plea to White House officials: Send President Donald Trump.”
  • “The previously unreported meeting comes as senior Republicans grow increasingly concerned about the senator’s prospects in the reliably red state, with some expressing fear that an underperformance could threaten GOP candidates running further down the ballot.”
  • “Trump’s rally is just the most public display of a Republican cavalry rushing to the senator’s aid…The party…is suddenly leaving little to chance. Behind the scenes, the White House, party leaders and a collection of conservative outside groups have begun plotting out a full-fledged effort to bolster Cruz.”
  • “We’re not bluffing, this is real, and it is a serious threat,” Senator John Cornyn said in an interview.
  • “The push reflects a broader anxiety within the party about the electoral environment this fall. It also has practical implications for the GOP: The resources devoted to Cruz include money that could otherwise be used to oust vulnerable incumbent Democrats in red states like North Dakota, Indiana and Missouri.
  • “Right-leaning organizations have begun routing resources to the state. The anti-tax Club for Growth, which spent millions on Cruz during his 2012 Senate bid, has started a seven-figure advertising blitz aimed at tearing down the Democratic congressman.”
  • “After antagonizing the K Street set early in his Senate career, Cruz is courting it as he attempts to fill his coffers. Cruz has been regularly inviting high-powered lobbyists to dinners at Capital Grille and other Washington restaurants. He’s been candid during the sit-downs about the threat he’s facing for reelection, those who’ve met with him say.”
  • “Administration officials are among those who’ve privately expressed concern about the senator’s prospects. Those worries burst out into the open over the weekend, when Mick Mulvaney, director of the Office of Management and Budget, told donors at a Republican National Committee meeting that Cruz could lose.”

Read the full article here.


Published: Sep 10, 2018

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