The NRSC sent out a “congratulations” card to Ted Cruz for winning last night’s Iowa caucus but it could get awkward if they let some of their members sign the card…
[YOUR] ability to grow the vote of the Republican Party is almost zero. [YOU’LL] easily be portrayed as ideological to a fault.”
“I think we’ll lose if [YOU’RE] our nominee. There’s a lot of people who don’t feel [YOU] can appeal to people across the board. For us to win, we have to appeal to the moderates and independents. We can’t just act like that only one point of view is the only way to go. That’s where [YOU’RE] going to have some trouble.”
“An awful lot of us really didn’t like to be targeted as corrupt, establishment bought by the lobby establishment. It sure looks like someone was using it as a way to gain notoriety as the only true conservative in Washington.”
“[YOU’VE] burned some bridges with some fellow senators.”
– Senator Shelley Moore Capito
“The bottom line is many people around here think [YOU] would be worse for our chances of keeping the majority. [YOU’RE] so polarizing, it could be a wipeout.”
– Senior Republican senator, who requested anonymity to speak about Cruz frankly
“[YOU’RE] mean.”
“How problematic [YOU] would be as the nominee has been obscured by the Trump circus.”
– GOP strategist Brian Walsh, a veteran of the National Republican Senatorial Committee during the 2010 and 2012 cycles.
“[YOU talk] a lot about Ronald Reagan. One of things that Ronald Reagan did when he came to office was heavily court Republicans and Democrats. … I don’t see [YOU] being able to do that.”
While many in the party lose their minds over the potential Cruz nomination, vulnerable incumbents facing especially tough reelection fights admitted they’d support the presidential nominee – even if it means Ted Cruz.
“[Ted] has passion, he has principle, and he is very smart.” [CSPAN, 8/23/13]
– Senator Kelly Ayotte, who has promised to support the GOP nominee
“I will support whoever the GOP nominee is.”
“We’re friends…We work on issues together.”
