Last night’s dramatic and decisive victory in the Iowa caucuses wasn’t just a victory for Senator Ted Cruz — it was a victory for the American people who have spent nearly eight years suffering under the failed leadership of President Obama. Now, we are past the end of the beginning of the process to elect a new Republican president, one who will put our country on a new, and better, path.
Ted Cruz proved that he could take on a powerful special interest — in this case, the ethanol lobby, which threw everything it could at him — and prevail. That’s the kind of leader I want to see in the White House. Not a leader who is intimidated by entrenched and powerful interests, but one with the courage to challenge them when we have better ideas rooted in our party’s principles.
In the days leading up to the vote, it was clear that others were getting desperate. Canadian! Loans! He’s not nice! Give me a break. I wondered what would be next — unreturned library books? Most of those claims came from Donald Trump, who clearly didn’t have a good night. It’s never a good idea to build your campaign’s rationale around “the polls” and you’re going to win because you’re winning — the moment you’re not winning, like now, that rationale collapses, and without a solid philosophical base to back it up. Politics isn’t just about “ratings.”
I’m supporting Senator Cruz because America needs for this election to matter. The collapse of American global influence, the terrorist threats facing our people, and the crushing national debt we are leaving to the next generation demands an election that produces real change in a conservative direction. And candidly, I’ve seen too many victories squandered and good ideas left on the cutting room floor, used merely as fill for mail pieces and TV spots. Senator Cruz is cut from a different cloth. And if that makes him less popular among politicians and lobbyists in Washington, to me that is a badge of honor and a sign he has the courage and fortitude necessary to see a fight through to the end, and put sound principles ahead of narrow interests.
This makes him different — and our best choice for President.
California supporters of Senator Cruz were a part of this victory. Republican activists like Mike Schroeder, Matt Harper and Mark Meuser traveled to Iowa to be a part of the campaign, while thousands of California donors backed up the army of volunteers on the ground.
Our state will have an important role to play when the Republican National Convention convenes in Cleveland in July. Ours will be the largest state delegation, with the largest voice in selecting our nominees for President and Vice President, and adopting our party’s rules and platform. That’s why today we have opened the process for California Republicans supporting Senator Cruz to apply to be a delegate to the convention. Our online application is now live, and California Republicans supporting Senator Cruz have until next Friday to complete it. Apply to be a Cruz delegate to the Republican National Convention
The Republican Party is not some far off entity. It’s us, and Senator Cruz’ campaign gives us the opportunity to be a part of replacing the failed liberal philosophy of this administration with sound conservatism in the next. We’re now past the end of the beginning. Now, on to victory not just for our party, but for the nation.