EXETER, N.H. — Ted Cruz has modified his message in New Hampshire, giving his supporters hope he can win a primary that seems like Donald Trump’s to lose.
Fresh from his victory in the Iowa caucus, Cruz channeled socialist Sen. Bernie Sanders, who’s running first in New Hampshire polls of the Democratic presidential race.
“It’s interesting actually in diagnosing the problem, I agree in many ways with Bernie Sanders,” Cruz said at New England College in Henniker. “It’s kind of funny, I enjoy watching media folks, they’re very puzzled when they say, ‘Gosh, Ted, you sound exactly like Bernie saying it is all big money and lobbyists and corruption.’ You know what? That’s right. It is. Washington is corrupt. And I’ve said many, many times the biggest divide we’ve got politically, it’s not between Democrats and Republicans, it’s between career politicians in Washington in both parties and the American people.”
Cruz talked about the harmful nature of income inequality and said a stagnant economy does not hurt the billionaires, but people who are struggling financially.
“Now where Bernie and I disagree is the solution to it,” Cruz said. “We both agree Washington is corrupt. His solution is so we need even more of Washington. I think that solution is nuts. I think the solution is to take the power out of Washington and bring it back to the American people.”
And Cruz’s off-speed pitch in New England appears to have begun paying dividends. Nancy Harvey, a Granite State resident, told the Washington Examiner she has seen Cruz several times and remains undecided, but began to view him more favorably after seeing him on Wednesday.
“I was more impressed with him than I was before,” Harvey said. “He was more down-to-earth than he has been.”
Tom Dour, who attended a Cruz event in Nashua, told the Examiner he converted from Ben Carson to Cruz because of the Texas senator’s supreme communication skills.
“I like his style,” Dour said. “He’s a man of integrity. He speaks the truth. There’s not deception there.”
Cruz supporters also seem to spend much time examining the senator’s path to the nomination, and ultimately in a general election. John Tucci, a resident of Hudson, said he supports Cruz because the senator is the most conservative presidential candidate, has an excellent tax plan, and would bring morality to the White House, but he still thinks Cruz will have a tough road in the Granite State.
“The lead that Trump has in the polls — if the polls are correct — is probably insurmountable with less than a week left,” Tucci said. “But I think if he makes a good showing, I mean not every president that was elected won New Hampshire … and let’s be honest, he’s not going to be everybody’s guy obviously, but for me, my family, I believe he’s the right choice.”
Cruz’s performance in New Hampshire could determine whether he will follow in the footsteps of also-rans who won Iowa like Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum in 2012 and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee in 2008. Granite State residents will vote on Tuesday.
