Ted Cruz recruits from the Iowa Liberty Movement

[William Tell]

Ted Cruz Recruits Some Rand Paul Supporters in Iowa

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Senator Ted Cruz of Texas, whose path to the Republican nomination requires a breakout performance in Iowa, has quickly recruited more than a dozen party leaders for his statewide campaign, who are to be announced in coming days, according to people told of the choices.


Most significantly, Mr. Cruz has peeled away three leaders of the Libertarian faction in the state, known as the Liberty movement, who are the base of Senator Rand Paul’s support in Iowa. They included state Senator Jason Shultz, who endorsed Representative Ron Paul for president in 2012; and two former members of the state Republican Party’s central committee, Joel Kurtinitis and Chad Steenhoek.


“The assumption of lot of people has been that the Liberty movement would roll over and support Senator Paul,’’ Mr. Kurtinitis said. “We’re a movement probably more than anything that’s noted for critical thinking and a rebellious streak.’’

He said Mr. Cruz, who announced his candidacy for the Republican presidential nomination on Monday, appealed to three important constituencies in Iowa: evangelical Christians, Libertarians and Tea Party activists. His wife, Kelsey Kurtinitis, a board member of Personhood Iowa, an antiabortion group, is also joining the Cruz campaign, as one of 15 or so volunteer leaders who will most likely take the title of state co-chairman and co-chairwomen, Mr. Kurtinitis said.

Mr. Cruz, as of this week, had only a single paid staff member in Iowa, Bryan M. English, a former aide to Representative Steve King. Mr. English was hastily adding dates to the calendar for Mr. Cruz to appear in Iowa, where he has visited less often than other 2016 hopefuls and has done almost no retail campaigning.

http://www.nytimes.com/politics/fir...ruits-some-rand-paul-supporters-in-iowa/?_r=1

 

[Carlybee]

Mr. Cruz, as of this week, had only a single paid staff member in Iowa, Bryan M. English, a former aide to Representative Steve King. Mr. English was hastily adding dates to the calendar for Mr. Cruz to appear in Iowa, where he has visited less often than other 2016 hopefuls and has done almost no retail campaigning.

I think he has somebody big willing to bankroll him to play spoiler. Either someone tied to Values Voters or Israel.

 

[r3volution 3.0]

“The assumption of lot of people has been that the Liberty movement would roll over and support Senator Paul,’’ Mr. Kurtinitis said. “We’re a movement probably more than anything that’s noted for critical thinking and a rebellious streak.’’

....said the useful idiot?

Ah well, looks to me like Cruz is picking up the crumbs Rand left behind.

 

[Todd]

....said the useful idiot?

Ah well, looks to me like Cruz is picking up the crumbs Rand left behind.

1 Clue.

NY Times.

Anyone who was truly about the Liberty movement would not simply roll over for Cruz. Anybody who's paying attention anyways....or someone who does things for political expediency

 

[Uriah]

Kurtinitis has been defending and praising Cruz for quite some time now. It doesn't surprise me. I've had a sense about Kurtinitis for months.

Also, state Senator Jason Shultz was never part of the liberty movement. He's just been one of the better state senators in our eyes.

 

[Brian4Liberty]

There is nothing surprising here. There has always been an element of the libertarian movement that if not outright advocating it, secretly applaud Cruz's embrace of neoconservative foreign policy. Same for many of those who consider themselves "Tea Party". Don't be surprised of some beltway libertarians back Cruz over Rand. There will probably be an article or blog from Reason going more in the Cruz direction.

 

[Brian4Liberty]

Most significantly, Mr. Cruz has peeled away three leaders of the Libertarian faction in the state, known as the Liberty movement...

Jason Shultz, who endorsed Representative Ron Paul for president in 2012; and two former members of the state Republican Party’s central committee, Joel Kurtinitis and Chad Steenhoek.

Anyone have any background on these supposed and claimed "Libertarians"?

 

[Brian4Liberty]

Kurtinitis has been defending and praising Cruz for quite some time now. It doesn't surprise me. I've had a sense about Kurtinitis for months.

Also, state Senator Jason Shultz was never part of the liberty movement. He's just been one of the better state senators in our eyes.

Figures. A propaganda article.

 

[William Tell]

There is nothing surprising here. There has always been an element of the libertarian movement that if not outright advocating it, secretly applaud Cruz's embrace of neoconservative foreign policy. Same for many of those who consider themselves "Tea Party". Don't be surprised of some beltway libertarians back Cruz over Rand. There will probably be an article or blog from Reason going more in the Cruz direction.

I think that's oversimplification, though. I really doubt any of these guys are backing him over his foreign policy. We have to keep in mind that this is Iowa. These are almost certainly social con types. If they were hawks I don't think they would have supported Ron in the first place.

Ron Paul managed to get over 21%, this took a broad coalition. Including social conservative types. Ron was the only major contender who had a record to match his words. If there was a Ted Cruz in the race then, some of those voters might have picked him over Ron Paul.

Its different now, Rand has the potential of building a larger coalition than his dad. A lot of it, most of it, will overlap with Ron's old coalition, but he will gain new people, and lose a few old people.

 

[William Tell]

Kurtinitis has been defending and praising Cruz for quite some time now. It doesn't surprise me. I've had a sense about Kurtinitis for months.

Yeah, I've seen one or 2 of his blog articles. Iowa activists are a big deal, I don't know if he prefers Cruz, or whether Cruz just was the one to offer him a job.

Also, state Senator Jason Shultz was never part of the liberty movement. He's just been one of the better state senators in our eyes.

He did endorse Ron Paul, though.

 

[TaftFan]

Anyone have any background on these supposed and claimed "Libertarians"?

Joel is not a fan of Rand cozying up to McConnell and the establishment.

 

[orenbus]

I just hope whoever is running Rand's campaign doesn't fall for the old pay them off for their support in the 11th hour leading up to a primary to swing votes back from Cruz's camp, or whenever Cruz decides to drop. I can see now why some would have been tempted to do this, Iowa primary politics lends itself to lot of horse trading.

 

[Krugminator2]

Don't be surprised of some beltway libertarians back Cruz over Rand. There will probably be an article or blog from Reason going more in the Cruz direction.

I would be floored if one person at Reason supports Cruz. The main people are all solidly on Team Rand. It would be somebody who is not a main columnist if they did.

Cato is a little different because they have a few less than libertarian people. But Ed Crane and David Boaz are hardcore Rand guys.