Conservative radio host Mark Levin offered some friendly advice Saturday to Donald Trump as the billionaire mogul trades blows with anti-Establishment rival Sen. Ted Cruz.
“Either cut the crap — your accusations this morning that Cruz is Canadian, a criminal, owned by big banks, etc. … or you will lose lots and lots of conservatives,” the conservative radio host posted Saturday on Facebook.
Levin has largely avoided criticizing Trump in the past, but weighed in after what many saw as Trump’s effective retort to Cruz’s criticism of “New York values” during Thursday night’s debate and Trump’s tweet storm of attacks on Cruz Saturday morning. The candidates are fighting for first in Iowa’s upcoming caucuses.
“Save the liberal New York City bully tactics for the New York City liberals,” Levin said.
“Put down your computer keyboard for a few hours, think before you tweet, and collect yourself,” Levin continued, making a jab at Trump’s penchant for attacking his rivals on social media.
“You’re not politically invincible, regardless of the polls and media. I am already hearing more and more people getting fed up with the low road you’re taking against Cruz, which has obviously intensified this morning,” Levin said.
“You don’t need to attack his honor or attempt to smear his reputation. You can leave that to [Senate Majority Leader] Mitch McConnell and the New York Times. Engage on real and substantive issues that matter to the country. Like I said, my friendly advice,” Levin concluded.
For most of 2015, Trump and Cruz avoided attacking one another. They even rallied together. But now that the polls show Cruz catching Trump in Iowa and is a distant second nationally, the “bromance,” as Trump put it, is over.
Trump has chided Cruz for reports that he did not properly disclose a $1 million loan from Goldman Sachs for his 2012 Senate campaign and another loan from CitiBank.
“Goldman Sachs owns him,” Trump tweeted Saturday morning.
The business magnate warned at Thursday’s debate that if Cruz were to be elected the GOP nominee, he would face a lawsuit from regarding his citizenship and eligibility to be commander-in-chief.
Cruz was born in Canada to an American mother and Cuban father. Whether or not he is a “natural born citizen” has come under question.
On Friday, Trump’s warning came to fruition as a lawsuit was filed in federal court, challenging Cruz’s eligibility to run for president.
