We have an incredible opportunity before us—but it is very close to
slipping away. This year, presidential primary voting occurs in my state
(and most of your states) while at least one party’s nomination for President
is still very much up in the air. So please, please, please pray, then get out
and vote. Also, pass these thoughts along as you see fit.
Brief Summary
Here’s the bottom line: I
urge you to vote for either Ted Cruz or Marco Rubio, and I urge you to
vote (or caucus) for whichever of those two is doing better in pre-election
polling in your state. It may seem strange to vote for someone based on polling
rather than just personal preference—but it will help us keep this amazing
moment from passing us by.
As an example of how this
will work, since I live in Virginia, my vote will be for Senator
Marco Rubio,
and I urge Virginians to vote for him on March 1. Folks in Massachusetts and
Alabama should also vote for Rubio that day. But if you live in Texas or
Arkansas, I urge you to vote for Senator Ted Cruz. Polling in other March 1
states is too close to call between those two, so either candidate would be a
great choice, and future polling will help you know how to vote in states that
vote after March 1. To get the best estimate of how the candidates are polling
in your state, go to Real Clear Politics (click link) and find the average of poll results for your
particular state.
I recommend this approach
for a few simple reasons: either of these two candidates would make a fine
president, either could win a general election against the Democrat nominee,
and Donald Trump should be stopped. By choosing Cruz or Rubio based on your
state, you’ll help these two combine to win as many states as possible, to be highly
competitive in states even where Trump wins (more on him later), and to earn as
many delegates as possible. Ultimately, one
of them could become the Republican nominee by amassing enough delegates—they
are not required to win a certain number of states.
More Thorough Explanation
The opportunity we have in
this year’s election is this: to elect an intelligent, articulate, and
honorable conservative who will appreciate and celebrate America’s greatness,
restrain federal government overreach, appoint judges who will adhere to the
Constitution’s original intent, and help us pass along these American values to
the next generation—and do all this while reflecting the diversity of our
nation. Americans are unhappy with the direction of our country, and even angry
with our leaders—both Democrats and Republicans. But let’s make the most of the
situation, channeling our anger in support for a positive and achievable vision
for America.
Why Ted Cruz? Cruz is my favorite candidate of anyone still
running. I have donated to his campaign, and I think he’d make the best President.
He is ardently conservative (links here and here) and strategically brilliant, and he has a thoroughgoing knowledge of
law and policy. He has excelled throughout his youth and adult life, working
for the late Chief Justice Rehnquist, earning his way to elite positions in the
private sector and government, and successfully defending Constitutional
liberties before the Supreme Court. He is relentlessly disciplined in making his
case and doing so persuasively, to those who can be persuaded (link) and those who will not be (link). He also has showed a legendary willingness to
confront the political establishment and fight for a return to Constitutional
principles and limited government.
Why Marco Rubio? Rubio is a true and competent conservative. In
fact, five years ago anyone questioning his conservative credentials would have
been labeled a nut. He reached the U.S. Senate by running as a conservative and
beating the establishment-backed governor of Florida. Before that, he had built
that reputation as a leader in the Florida legislature. Also, widely regarded
organizations supporting conservative causes have given him high marks. For
examples, see links here and here. He, like Cruz, has consistently argued for low taxes (link),
a strong national defense, religious liberty (link), and for protecting both the unborn and their mothers
(link). Along the way, he has
demonstrated that he is a highly effective communicator and a quick study of
national and foreign affairs. While his position concerning illegal immigrants
in the U.S. has upset some conservatives, he has stated clearly that he
understands that Americans demand to see our border secured before we
deal with those who are already here.
Why either one? For both Rubio and Cruz, electability is just as
important as ideology. President Obama’s two victories demonstrate that any
Republican running for national office faces a steep climb, but Cruz and Rubio have
the necessary attributes to prevail. Rubio is a charismatic and polished
speaker, and polls show that he is viewed more favorably than nearly any
other Republican candidate. For examples, see links here and here. Cruz, for his part, has strategically climbed from being a long shot
to a top-echelon candidate, and he is a great debater and orator who can make
the case for conservative principles as well as anyone. Polls also show that
either Rubio (link)
or Cruz (link)
would fare much better in the general election campaign against Hillary
Clinton than Trump (link).
This cannot be overemphasized. Rubio and Cruz consistently do
better in polls against Hillary Clinton than does Trump. Moreover, Rubio
is popular in the key swing state of Florida, whose votes could once again
decide who ultimately becomes President, and Cruz will bring out conservative
voters who have found Republican nominees in recent elections to be unpalatable.
On top of this, Rubio (link) and Cruz (links here) and here) are relatable to
Americans, having young, handsome families, coming from working-class immigrant
parents, and reflecting America’s diversity.
Why not one of the
other Republican candidates? At this
point, a vote for anyone other than Cruz or Rubio is worse than a wasted
vote—it is effectively a vote for Trump. In fact, some have gone so far as to
argue that every Trump opponent—even Cruz supporters—should vote for Rubio, while others have reached the opposite conclusion
favoring Cruz, but I am not sure about the wisdom of either approach. Ben
Carson and John Kasich are candidates I appreciate, as are former candidates
Carly Fiorina, Mike Huckabee, Bobby Jindal, Rand Paul, Rick Perry, Rick
Santorum, and Scott Walker, among others. But none of these other
Republican candidates can defeat Trump this year. What is worse, these
candidates are remaining in the race despite being unable to win, and thereby
they are making it harder for Cruz and Rubio to contend with Trump in a narrowed
contest. Since these candidates will not leave the race voluntarily,
their supporters must leave them now;
the delegate numbers simply do not add up for them.
Why not Donald Trump? I appreciate much of what has made Trump
popular thus far, including wanting to secure America’s borders and to see us
act confidently in our national interest and free from political correctness,
but my reasons for opposing him are simple.
First, he has proved to be
an unapologetically dishonorable and dishonest person, making him unfit to
lead. Indeed, I have no reason to believe that anything he says as a candidate
he would do as President. There are almost innumerable illustrations of Trump’s
dealings and antics over the years, including this (link) and this (link). As a further
example, this brief video (link) highlights many examples of Trump’s dishonesty that
should raise doubt to Christians and conservatives.
Second, his words and
deeds throughout his adult life give me no reason to think that he will be
committed to the values and issues that are meaningful to me—whether regarding
abortion, economics and trade, health care, immigration, or judicial
appointments. Put simply, his long life has followed a pattern largely contrary
to what he now claims to represent.
Third, his being the
standard-bearer of the party with which I most closely align would wreak havoc
on that party—and, more importantly, on conservatism—for many years to come,
harming my and my family’s interests at the local, state, and national level.
Even if I did support Trump,
I would hesitate to vote for him due to his unelectability, since he is terribly disfavored by the American
public (link) as
a whole and is losing in polls against Hillary Clinton (link). Democrats will hang Trump’s behavior over the
years—in business and in his personal life—around his neck like an anchor if he
is the Republican nominee.
Finally, if you would like
to see the candidates in action, including some especially contentious
exchanges, I urge you to watch the most recent Republican debate, from February 25
(link).
God bless you as you think
through this critical decision. Go vote, and go Cruz and Rubio!
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