4/3/15, "GOP Presidential hopeful Senator Ted Cruz returns to SC," wistv, Charlisa Gordon, Spartanburg, SC
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| Spartanburg, SC, 4/3 |
"Senator Ted Cruz returned to South Carolina today as a GOP presidential hopeful.
It's his first time back in the upstate since announcing his candidacy last week.
Cruz is the first person to officially announce a run for president.
In front of a packed crowd at the Beacon drive-in in Spartanburg, Cruz said he wants to reignite the "promise of America."
“There has been no country in the history of the world that has enabled so many millions of people to come from nothing and achieve anything," Cruz said.
“I thought he did a tremendous job. I was really impressed. He hit the major points and I think the people here were impressed the parking lot was full,” SC Senator Lee Bright said.
After announcing his presidential bid, Cruz has been on the road courting the "courageous conservative" voters in the early states. “The only answer will come from the men and women gathered here today," Cruz said.
“He's a constitutionalist instead of an executive order type of person. I just like what he stands for," Cruz supporter Randall Tate said.
The Texas senator also told the audience that the nation's economy can be improved with a flat tax and doing away with the education program known as common core.
"We're going to make 2016 a national referendum on repealing Obamacare and abolishing the IRS,” Cruz said.
“I think he's addressed most everything that we're worried about," Cruz supporter Cheryl Cuthrell said.
Cruz believes the biggest problem facing our country right now is securing a future for our youth.
"Majority of Americans believe that our children will have a worst life then we did... 65 percent... and that has never been true in the history of America until right now,” Cruz said.
"I think he could really change like the future for my generation," 16-year-old McCayla Partain said.
So what was on the menu at the Beacon for the conservative presidential hopeful?
"I ordered cheeseburger with chili and cheese on it topped with onion rings on top," Cruz said.
Cruz also appeared at the Poinsettia Club for a reception by the Greenville Republican Women.
On Saturday, Cruz plans to make another campaign stop at Palmetto Pig BBQ in Columbia.
Cruz said he plans to be a frequent visitor to the Palmetto State." Image above from wistv. via Free Republic
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"He received something of a rock star's reception at The Beacon."...
4/3/15, "Sen. Ted Cruz in Spartanburg as part of 4-day trip," goupstate.com, Jason Spencer, Spartanburg, SC
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| 4/3, Spartanburg, SC |
"For U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, it's been good to be the first out of the gate.
The Texas Republican, the first announced presidential candidate of the 2016 election cycle, packed the Panther Room at The Beacon Drive-in on Friday. A few hundred people crammed in to hear Cruz speak, spilling out of both doorways and onto the perennial campaign stop's front patio, where a vendor selling Cruz 2016 T-shirts and buttons had set up shop.
It was 10 days after Cruz announced his candidacy, the middle of a four-day swing through the early primary states of Iowa and South Carolina.
“2016 is going to be an election like 1980, because we're going to do it like Ronald Reagan did – painting in bold colors, not pale pastels,” Cruz told the crowd. “We're going to do it. And I'm proud to stand with you.”
Cruz has enjoyed an expected bump in the polls. The website RealClearPolitics.com has his polling average at 8.7 percent, putting him in a four-way tie for third place with Rand Paul, Mike Huckabee and Ben Carson, and trailing only former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush and Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker."...
[Ed. note: Cruz didn't announce his candidacy until March 23. Fifty percent of RCP's 8.7 polling average cited by the author is comprised of polls taken well before that, shown below, Cruz numbers doubled or quadrupled when at least some portion of time after the announcement was included.]
(continuing): "He received something of a rock star's reception at The Beacon, and stayed afterward to sign autographs and take pictures with fans.
“He is a genuine Christian man, a man of character, and he's principled,” said Claire Crouch, who drove two hours from Cosby, Tenn., to attend the Spartanburg campaign event. She wore a red shirt that had Cruz's face superimposed over the American flag along with “No. 45” over the blue field of stars.
“He's honest, and he practices what he preaches. He's got the courage of his convictions. And I trust him. He's a politician, and I trust him.”
In Spartanburg, Cruz pledged to make 2016 a national referendum on repealing Obamacare and abolishing the IRS.
He proposed a flat tax and repealing Common Core education standards. He drew raucous cheers and applause at times, digging in his heels on defending what he deemed “religious liberty” – referring to recent controversial legislation in Indiana and Arkansas, which he blamed the far left for “demonizing and attacking.”
“That's heartbreaking. That's dangerous,” he said. “But at the same time, it's encouraging that it's waking people up.”
Critics of such religious freedom acts argue that the laws would allow businesses to discriminate against gay, lesbian and transgender people.
Cruz also pledged to “restore America's leadership in the world,” saying the president and this country should stand side by side with Israel.
Before stopping at The Beacon, Cruz took a tour of the Carolina Pregnancy Center and delivered remarks to about 100 people.
The Spartanburg visit happened on Good Friday, and Cruz referenced the persecution of Christians around the world.
He had his talking points down, but didn't come across as too polished. He appeared with his wife, Heidi, and daughters Catherine and Caroline. He mentioned President Barack Obama a couple of times, but not too much. And facing an electorate that has soured on partisan bickering, Cruz prefaced his remarks with words of optimism.
And, he was funny: “I imagine in South Carolina y'all define gun control like we do in Texas: Hit what you aim at.” When he talked about shuttering the IRS, which has 90,000 employees, he said, “We need to put every single one of them on our Southern border,” because such a sight would make anyone turn around. And, on so-called radical Islam, he said, “Last I checked, it wasn't a couple of ticked off Presbyterians who flew a plane into the World Trade Center.”
“He's ready to change things back to the way Americans are used to, from the founding of this country,” said Rick Pennington of Gaffney, whose family supports the Carolina Pregnancy Center.
“What's right is right and what's wrong is wrong.”
Also Friday, the Cruz campaign announced it would be running a 30-second ad on Fox News Channel during Friday and Sunday airings of “Killing Jesus,” and on NBC affiliates, including WYFF, on Easter during “A.D. The Bible Continues.” The ads are running in Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina and Nevada. The ads cost $36,000.
Not everyone who came out was a Cruz supporter. Some activists were simply sizing him up. Some are considering working for him or supporting him, but aren't ready to commit.
Cruz took a few questions from The Beacon crowd, though Randall Tate of Mauldin ended up simply espousing all the reasons he supported Cruz and why he laments the “Washington establishment.”
“They can't defeat a Ted Cruz, because he has morals. He has things he is going to stand for,” said Tate, a self-described Tea Party activist. Tate brought his 9-year-old daughter, Miriam, to the Spartanburg event, and campaign staff made sure she was able to get a selfie with the senator after his remarks — and to sign up dad as a volunteer.
“He's certainly left a mark that people have to live up to,” said former Spartanburg County Republican Party Chairwoman LaDonna Ryggs, who is heading the Cruz campaign in South Carolina. “He has set the bench high.”"
Above image caption: "U.S. Senator Ted Cruz speaks to a packed crowd while campaigning at the Beacon Drive-In, in Spartanburg, Friday afternoon, 4-3-2015, TIM KIMZEY/tim.kimzey@shj.com"
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| 4/3, Spartanburg, SC |
Above image caption: "U.S. Senator Ted Cruz speaks to a packed crowd while campaigning at the Beacon Drive-In, in Spartanburg, Friday afternoon, 4-3-2015, Tim Kimzey/tim.kimzey@shj.com," via Free Republic commenter
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