"Ted Cruz at CPAC: I Would Not Be in Senate Without Sarah Palin"BREITBART
From Senator' Cruz's own mouth, he would not be a senator were it not for Palin's endorsement at a crucial point in his campaign, and of course he would not now be a presidential candidate without her impetus.
From Cruz's interview with Kevin Scholla as reported by US4Palin
Here is remarkable polling history for Cruz.
January 2011 Dewhurst 23% Cruz 3% (Dewhurst +20)
PALIN ENDORSES CRUZ MAY 10th; CRUZ CAMPAIGN REPORTS MASSIVE INTEREST
Post PALIN endorsement poll May 21st
Democrat Pollster PPP Polling (D) on May 24th
Dewhurst 46% Cruz 29% (Dewhurst +17)
PPP also found this result;
"Even though Rick Perry's candidate is likely to defeat Sarah Palin's, her endorsement polls much more positively. 36% of voters say they're more inclined to back a Palin supported candidate to 21% who consider it a negative.
Subsequent to Sarah Palin's endorsement of him, GOP candidate for senator from Texas Ted Cruz has completed the astonishing journey from polling at only 3% to being in the final run-off. Cruz having kept the previously presumed winner Dewhurst below 50% in tonight's primary battle.
PRIMARY RESULT MAY 29th
| 92% reporting | Ted Cruz | 445,483 | 33.60% | ||||
| David Dewhurst | 593,865 | 44.79% | |||||
Final Result
It is clear beyond any doubt that Cruz owed his election to Palin's endorsement as do so many others e.g. Haley/Sasse/Fischer et al. Further Palin's endorsement at an absolute crucial time in Donald Trump's campaign very likely made the difference between his second place in Iowa and possible oblivion behind Cruz and Rubio there see "Palin's Endorsement Saved Trump's Campaign For New Hampshire."
If Cruz gets less than 50%+1 of the vote in Texas on Super Tuesday then the delegates are apportioned and with Trump running from-15 to a draw in current polling that result seems likely. So at best Cruz would come out of Texas with a small delegate lead from the state whilst Trump is on the path to garner huge delegate wins across all the other states on the day.
If however Trump can get to 50% because of Palin's endorsement in Texas he would likely knock Cruz out of the campaign. Palin has been tied up with her husband Todd's Iron Dog race in Alaska which means much to them both but if the call came to be on the ground I would be confident she would respond, such is her nature.
It may be that the Trump team see a Cruz still active but rendered ineffectual an asset to keep alive in the campaign to split the vote with Rubio until Florida where Rubio looks like losing to Trump. But such matters are for the campaign to decide.
Some commentary;
Could Cruz Suffer The Unkindest Cut Of All - Losing Texas?...
"I was stunned in talking to longtime Texas political watchers and insiders, not aligned with any candidate, that they were not in the least dismissive of the notion Cruz could lose there. Essentially, they told me it is quite possible that the tea party darling will be rejected by his own constituents. There is certainly a substantial risk that will occur. Moreover, Cruz’s campaign has said he has to not only win, but also win big there.
[..] Cruz, to be candid, has never really had a competitive race at home against a skilled conservative. In his only political race, his Senate run in 2012, Cruz got lucky in drawing Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, a milquetoast establishment figure, as an opponent. (One Texas wit calls Dewhurst a “a wine-swilling country club Republican who had a terrible relationship with tea party folks.”)
[...] Many, if not most Texas political observers, think that without a delayed primary, Cruz never would have made it. In any event, he was the sole tea party candidate and was therefore able to get backing from national figures such as Sarah Palin (now on Trump’s team) and Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), who is not about to endorse him this time. Cruz did not have to beat in the runoff another solid conservative or someone more in tune with the grass-roots than he."
