CRUZ v RUBIO: WINNING NEVADA & TEXAS

CRUZ v RUBIO: WINNING NEVADA & TEXAS:

WHEN WILL CRUZ CONCEDE?

Sources:  Dallas News, Daily Beast, Fox News, YouTube

As the two Cubans on the 2016 GOP campaign trail continue to battle for voters & donors, after Nevada & Texas only one will stand alongside Frontrunner Donald Trump.

Many Political Strategists predict GOP establishment favorite Marco Rubio will soon claim that position.

If Ted Cruz loses Texas will he immediately concede as Jeb Bush did when he lost South Carolina?

Or......

Will Cruz linger on as a divisive foe?

Stay tuned

 **** Rubio Earns Endorsements From Two Former Texas Officials

Marco Rubio collected more endorsements Sunday — including from a former Texas land commissioner.

Jerry Patterson said Sunday that he is backing the Florida senator over fellow Texan Ted Cruz and front-runner Donald Trump.

Patterson joins Susan Combs, a former Texas comptroller, and South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley in his support for Rubio.

“Electability” was the deciding factor, Patterson said. “Who will win in November against a Democrat.”

In his view, Rubio and Cruz tout similar priorities — namely protecting the Second Amendment and religious freedom.

“Trump doesn’t have a clue what he knows or rather what he doesn’t know,” Patterson said.

Patterson said he had to disregard Trump’s status and take a close look at Rubio and Cruz when making his endorsement decision.

“Ted is impressive,” Patterson said in a written statement. “He’s remarkably intelligent. He knows the issues. He’s a great debater.”

But Cruz’s shifting status on immigration is “too cute, too clever,” Patterson said.

Cruz proposed an amendment in 2013 to an immigration bill backed by Rubio and seven other senators dubbed the “Gang of Eight.” The bill required more border security and a path for unauthorized immigrants to pursue legal status after undergoing background checks, waiting periods and paying fines and back taxes.

Cruz’s amendment would have stripped the citizenship provision from the bill while still allowing immigrants to apply for a work permit, and after 10 years enable them to apply for permanent residency.

“I don’t want this bill to be voted down and I hope the stakeholders who want this bill to be passed will be interested in amendments to craft a bill that will pass,” Cruz said in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee in 2013. 

Later, Cruz said that he would have never voted for the bill even with his amendment. PolitiFact describes Cruz’s amendment and support as a legislative tactic.

“You can’t have it both ways,” said Patterson, who advocates for a pragmatic approach to immigration reform including a guest worker program.

Rudio earned a second Texas endorsement Sunday evening from Elizabeth Ames Jones Coleman, who served two terms representing Bexar County in the Texas House and was appointed by Gov. Rick Perry to chair the the Texas Railroad Commission from 2005 until 2012. She is a partner at EnergyNorthAmerica, LLC, a Washington D.C.-based energy consulting firm.

Coleman said in a written statement that Rubio is the candidate who “best understands the importance of our domestic energy industry.”

In his energy plan, Rubio calls for immediate approval of the Keystone XL pipeline, expedited approval for American natural gas exports and returning control energy development efforts to the states.

“He will claw back the confiscatory tax schemes and crippling government regulations that hamstring entrepreneurs and job creators,” Coleman wrote. “I am convinced that Marco Rubio is the man for the job.