AUSTIN � Two Texans, one White House. Is the 2016 Republican campaign trail big enough?

After plummeting from prime contender to political punchline three years ago, Gov. Rick Perry has spent months gearing up for a second run. And he�s turned his recent indictment on felony abuse-of-power charges into a campaign rallying cry.

But even as Perry works to convince conservatives that he�ll be better at coping with the national spotlight this time, he�s increasingly bumping up against his state�s junior senator, tea party darling Ted Cruz, whose firebomb approach on Capitol Hill has grassroots activists clamoring for him to make a White House run.

The prospect of a two-Texan presidential tilt is dominating political conversation in the state, even outshining a fiercely contested governor�s race � and starting to get noticed nationally. Perry�s preparations have long been obvious, while Cruz is working to raise his profile beyond just the far-right base and insert himself into the presidential conversation.

Asked about the 2016 prospects of both, Jim DeMint, president of the conservative Heritage Foundation, replied, �I think Cruz even more than Perry right now.�

Though he�s not endorsing either yet, DeMint added, �Ted has become really the national conservative leader.�

Cruz and Perry, along with potential presidential rival Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul, are addressing this weekend�s national gathering of Americans for Prosperity, the powerful group backed by the billionaire industrialist Koch brothers. Cruz has made himself the star of such events, sometimes introduced as �our next president.�

At a recent national gathering organized by the conservative blog RedState, hundreds of attendees bowed their heads to pray for him, calling Cruz an instrument of God�s will.

Cruz himself says �time will tell� if he joins the presidential race. Perry has made no secret he�s seriously considering a run.

Two Texans haven�t competed for the presidency since George H.W. Bush and Ross Perot in 1992. Things got testy that time, as the New England-born incumbent had his true-Texas credentials questioned by the billionaire Dallas businessman, with his exaggerated twang and outlandish axioms like, �If someone as blessed as I am is not willing to clean out the barn, who will?�

�I think they�re both running. They probably don�t like me saying it,� said Texas Republican Party chairman Steve Munisteri, who noted that Texas� March 1 presidential primary in 2016 should make it the first to vote among large states, and could leave only one Texan standing.

Both, meanwhile, would be competing at least to start for the same slice of the Republican base, the religious and social conservatives energized by an intense mistrust of President Barack Obama.

Some Texas donors are already bracing for the prospect. �I�d be splitting dollars, no question,� said George Strake Jr., a former Texas secretary of state and Perry 2012 donor who also served as Houston finance chairman for Cruz�s Senate campaign. �It�s going to split up a lot of people who used to give to the same one, or who maybe even used to be friends.�

Perry is a monster fundraiser but relies heavily on Texas. Cruz has raised big bucks from a large national base that tends to give in small increments.

Cruz has been unequivocal in standing behind Perry following the governor�s indictment for cutting off state funds to an office investigating statewide corruption after the Democratic district attorney who runs it ignored his calls to resign. But the two Republicans don�t always see eye-to-eye. Perry�s key selling point is his record as a job-creator, overseeing Texas� white-hot economy. But Cruz counters that only the free market, not politicians offering tax incentives or pulling policy strings, as Perry has done, can create jobs.

Asked about the possibility that Cruz had outpaced him as Texas� top conservative, Perry quipped in June, �Ask me in eight years if Senator Cruz has made an impact.�

At a recent event, Cruz made a subtle dig when he flubbed while counting off a list of his Senate accomplishments: �Victory number four � five,� Cruz said, adding, �I could say �oops,� but that would make news.� That recalls Perry�s infamous 2011 �oops moment� brain freeze in a 2010 GOP debate that damaged his candidacy.

As the GOP field takes shape, Perry has been to Iowa five times since November, as well as to New Hampshire and South Carolina. Cruz has been to all three states even more often. His former regional director has founded a group called Draft Ted Cruz for President.

Jamie Johnson, a Republican Central Committee member in Iowa, which holds the first presidential caucus, says the buzz about 2016 is growing. Especially about Cruz.

�It�s not just name recognition or likability, it�s how much will people rearrange their schedule to go see someone or meet someone,� Johnson said �and that is happening for Ted Cruz.�

Cruz

cruz

X's 100000000000000

CRUZ

Neither

Cruz

Either would be light-years ahead of what we have now.

Doesn't matter who you give your money to the candidate will be the Republican the Democrats like the most.

Neither....

Whoever can win.

Those that say "Neither."...

Who would be your choice?

Paul?

Christie?

Or stay home on election day and pout?

You got a crystal ball?

Any of them can win if conservatives get off their duffs and vote.

It's gotta be better than the alternative. Look what happened last time...

Yeah.

That worked out real well last time, huh?

Idiots.

Gendle??? or maybe someone like Ben Carson,,,, I'd really like to see a candidate that isn't a career politician for a change. Lets face it,,, all these career politicians (on both sides of the isle) ain't been doing such a great job.

Cruz,,, Another slick talking Harvard Law grad tied to big banking. Say what you want but they're ALL bought and paid for by the time they get to Washington.
Perry,,, Although I would prefer a governor over anyone in DC the fact that he's a Dem turned Republican sticks in my craw.




Why is it so many conservatives automatically assume that anyone who doesn't agree with "their" choice has to be a stay at home whiner?

I did have a specific stay at home whiner in mind, but it wasn't you.

For all the good it did me to vote for McCain and Romney I might as well have stayed at home and pouted.

Every vote counts.

The liberals know this.

ACORN brings them in by the busloads...

Fair enough.

And FWIW,,,, while I thought Romney was about half a Democrat, at least he wasn't a socialist Muslim sympathizer so I voted for him and would do it again if that were my only choice.

Yep,,,, vote early and vote often.

Still �Neither�

Keep trying

I voted for Romney too but look at it this way...with Romney in the Whitehouse, when Sandy Hook went down, if you'd combined the Democrats with liberal, compromising Republicans, you'd have probably had enough votes that we'd now be under a new AWB and have universal registration, at the very least. Nobody trusts an obvious traitor like Obama. It's the compromisers and appeasers who may be our undoing. If we have another McRomney nominated, my next choice may indeed be to stay at home and pout. Not really. I'll be actively voting in the Senate and House races as well as the state and local ones.

Palin ain't running chair sniffer.

She found out that you can't just throw up your hands and walk away from the white house when the going gets tuff.


McCain and Palin,,,,, now THERE was a wasted vote Ethan.

Ronald Reagan was a Dem. turned Republican...

Neither will win the 2016 Republican nomination. Neither will get my money or support.

Ronald was highly overrated but still a good illustration of how even the Democrats back then were more conservative than most Republicans today.

To mol answer the original posit, to me Rand Paul is still the front-runner. He is the closest in his ideals to my own. Rand has certainly been sucking up awfully hard though. I won't put him out in front of Perry as far as naked political posturing, but he's getting close. Cruz seems the most genuine of the three.

As compared to who?

Reagan also ran for POTUS 3 times.
Romney needs to give it another try.
Perry would be fine if he can avoid the dumb chit he did last time.
Cruz,paultard,airpalin cant win a national election.

dave

Because your a mouth piece don't mean your an executive. Even if they support the same ideas you do it isnt a guarantee they can manage a country. Take a lesson from the Democrats . Maybe they didnt but They should have learned this with Obama. To them he had great ideas but he had no skill or ability to be an executive to legitimately move those ideas forward. Since our only choice given here is Perry or Cruz I would have go with Perry because he has the experience of being a Governor. I know great salesmen that cant keep their checkbook straight or get along in a group. And I have seen execs that did a good job keeping thing together at the office but couldnt sell a hot meal to starving eskimo.

Reagan in 1962: "I didn't leave the Democratic Party. The party left me."

Neither,
Cruz will do or say anything that will keep his name in the headlines.

If the Republican Party is stupid enough to nominate either Cruz or Perry, Hillary wins.

You guys had better start thinking legitimate conservative before it's too late. If Obama's landsliding Romney didn't get your attention, it's likely nothing will.

Do not forget this fact: authentic conservatives will never again vote for a liberal, neocon, RINO. Nominate another another and you'll assure Hillary's Oval Office waltz.

Cruz and Perry for vice

BOWSINGER,

I didn't leave the Republican Party. It left me when it was neocon co-opted.

On the other side of the coin, there's a ton of moderate conservatives that won't vote for a hard core nominee.

So how do you win if not a democrat?

Republicans began losing when hey were infiltrated by neocons who have co-opted the party converting in to the party of Democratic Light,

The ONLY way a conservative can win is via electoral college reform. Electoral vote must be apportioned in proportion to percent of vote won. That will give a third party a very real chance of pullin' off victory. Until then, one of the two dominant parties that are really two sides of the same coin will continue to rule, for we haven't been governed since at least FDR and probably as far back as Wilson.

We will vote for the most conservative candidate who can win.

I miss Sarah Palin.

I am 70 years old just had a small stroke & would really like to vote for someone rather than against someone. I had wanted to vote for Paul but he sold out to AIPAC so I'm now down to Romney. Cruz & Perry are the same of Santorum to me.

Neither, I don't send ANY money to the Pol's. I'll vote for whomever wins the republican primary's, but as far as me sending $$ to any politician, it's just not going to happen.

I think their all crooked, and just looking to get elected, or reelected. I believe they have their best interest at heart, not ours!!

Respects,
Richard

You don't know much about Ted Cruz, but I suspect it doesn't matter. Don't worry...you'll probably have an opportunity to vote for Christy in the primaries.

Cruz.

I haven't forgotten what a fool Perry made of himself the last time around. I doubt much has changed since.

SarahPac: $20.14 until November.
SarahPac: $20.16 after November.

Sara Palin is pro gun and pro hunting. We lost when the media dumped on her like they do on all conservatives.

[1] Paul? ... Rand Paul - YES
..........Paul Ryan - he could never beat the Hildog in 2016

[2] Christie ... No fu*king way

Much as I love Sarah Palin , she is more of a cheerleader than POTUS matter.

Still no candidate for the Republican nomination pulling away.

Same as before with Chrisie having a small lead.

Republican nomination

Chrissie is not my kind of Republican. I like Cruz. miles

Wait until March or so. IMO, right now we should all be focused on taking the senate in 2 mo.

I'd vote for Putin before Crispy. I trust him even less than I do Cruz,,,, and that's saying something.

If you had bashed Cruz for being an attorney or right wing nut, you might have some credibility, but he has never run for elected office before his current position as US Senator. I would hardly call that a "career politician".

Cruz if he runs.

Pat-


Does Cruz' wife's banking connections give you any pause?

Do expect Cruz to run for POTUS?

Being a vice president of a houston bank is hardly damning

Cruz over Perry for sure. It is time for Gov. Perry to retire.

Based on her record, Sarah Palin is a point guard with more POTUS qualifications than most that will be in the 2016 primaries.

Goldman Sachs isn't 'just' a bank.

Is goldman sachs in houston texas part of the Illuminati, or part of the military industrial complex?

Dunno. From reading this forum, I think they might be joos.

Cruz ! May God Bless Him !

If that is All you know about Ted Cruz - then you don't know very much !
It's axxewipes like you that think you know something and the fact is that what you know is krap - just like your thinking.
I suppose that in Revolutionary times, guys like you would have objected to George Washington because he was a huge landowner.
Get with the program dud ! Ted Cruz talks the talk and walks the walk.
Jindal and Carson, conservative yes, but No thanks!

Web search an introductory speech that Ted Cruz's immigrant father made to understand what PATRIOTISM is All about!

I can't stand half-baked axxetards like you, and your half-baked opinions.
You are the reason why we get jerks like Romney, McAmnesty and other GOP - Good Ole Pols; the get along go along FOOLS that have created this mess that we are in.



GFY

You really don't know wtf you are talking about.... So STFU
I hope not everybody in Idaho is as uninformed and useless as you are

So I will put you down for more of the same f'd up krap politicians as usual.
Look up the term IDEOLOGUE and try to figure out how it relates to politics.

Ohhh yeah , Cruz sure gets a lot of "positive" press (sarc)
If you haven't figured out that liberals attack the people they most fear then there's not much hope for you in ever becoming an "informed" American.

There -
You've heard it from SoupySales !
If that isn't a ringing endorsement for Cruz or Perry then I don't know what is !
Thxs Soupy!

Okay, now think how much better off We'd be with an ex Governor/Mayor Cheerleader than this "Coonmunity Organizing" Clown!
THINK before you post?
Sarah Palin as POTUS is a better choice than most BECAUSE she is an ideologue who believes in the Founding Principles of this Country AND speaks them. Cruz is the only other Conservative that speaks principles !
The others just "dance" around and you are stuck trying to figure out where they stand.
Romney is wishy-washy flawed
Paul is negro/libertarian flawed
Christie is fatly flawed
Perry is aww shucks/GWB flawed
Gingrich is pragmatically/Hitchcockian flawed
Santorum is lack of political base flawed
Carson is negroe flawed
Jindahl is Louisiana flawed
Jeb Bush is Bush fatigue flawed (father and son AND neither got "it" Right)
McAmnesty is party flawed (should be a DemoncRat or form his own "Stupid" party)
Herman Cain is too simplistic flawed
Bachmann is/was Minnestupid flawed (liberals/queers/degenerates)
John Bolton is lack of base flawed
Huckleberry is musically challenged/flawed
Your assorted "former" successful GOP Governors - no national status flawed
Your bogus Libertarians running in the Republican primaries - wtf - get your own party
Any Karl Rove backed candidate - can you say fecal sandwich?
Any candidate who espouses reaching across the aisle - seriously brain dead
Any candidate that looks like he/she should be on a daytime soap opera - just say NO
ANY candidate that appears on Oprah, the View, Late night talk show, matt lauer, cbs, nbc, abc, msnbc, cnn - Death Wish flawed
Anybody that talks to Bill O'rilepuss and does Not beat him into unconciousness
Anybody that allows Republican Party primaries to be moderated by "liberals" and doesn't give them a super-sized dose of Gingrich Umbrage is FLAWED
____________
Merry f'n Christmas - chevy chase, nat'l lampoons christmas vacation

That.., along with the removal of every single incumbent up for re-election..

OUT!

Fixed it for ya !

I don't play neocon. I'm tired of politicians feigning conservative while cameras are rolling then engage in liberal, neocon, RINO machinations with their Democratic homeboys when doors are closed to public view.

If liberal, neocon, RINO's destroy another authentic conservative like they did in '12 in deference to a candidate who was every bit the liberal as Obama, authentic conservatives will not vote, for whomever loses will be immaterial.

I'll vote for that republican getting totally trashed by the MSM for what they profess to believe.

When did I call him a "right wing nut" or criticize him for being a lawyer? What I said was he's another slick talking Harvard Law grad (which coincidently is what we currently have in office).
Sorry LT,,, I know you think Cruz is the second coming but I simply don't trust anyone in DC. They're "ALL" bought and paid for (which is also what I said in my OP if you would have quoted the whole thing instead of editing for your benefit).
If you think Cruz isn't controlled by those that spent millions to put him where he is I have to question your "credibility".

That's just my opinion, which I'm entitled to just like your entitled to yours so please spare me any more snarky comments about voting for Crispy.

Well now,,,, you're a foul mouthed angry little prick, aren't you?

Course I'm not surprised considering you're from the same state as the corrupt hood rats currently residing in the white house.

What is it with IL and corrupt politicians anyway?

I know,,,, you don't have to say it. I'll go FMS.

Can you read? Let's hope Cruz is controlled by those who spent millions...because it's us.

Does your wife define who you are? I don't picture him as the type that does. I don't know if he will run, or not, and don't really care. He is doing a great job representing those that put him in office now. If the rest of the country thinks he's not liberal enough, we're screwed anyway. At least Texas will continue to boom in the meanwhile. The problem is that (most of) the rest of the country is crashing and it's inhabitants are too stupid to see it, or care. A bigger piece of a smaller pie is not something to shout about.

Heidi Cruz, who graduated from Harvard Phi Beta Kappa with a B.A. in economics, worked for the Bush 2000 campaign and as an economic advisor to Condoleezza Rice before becoming the current head of the Southwest Region in the Investment Management Division of Goldman, Sachs & Co; just might come in very handy in a Cruz White House.

Now thats what I call a lot of information.

Did she hang up posters for bush?

Did she tell condoleezxa about a certain stock

and once again, a fancy name for a houston bank.

Talk about a goddam witch hunt.

My wife does not control me, but her thoughts and ideas have some sway on mine, just as mine do on hers.

Please don't mistake my questions as making me anti-Cruz because I'm not. I enjoy watching him wreak havoc on liberals.

I ask because if he runs, the Goldman Sachs connection will be blared by the media. I figure you have a better insight with localer info.

Thanks, but no thanks. Leave it as it was - ALL of the bastids up for re-election... OUT!!

That includes every feckless pos from my state of WI too...

I know what you mean. My wife is a PETA type. I've been kicking her cats, when she's not around, for almost thirty years.

Some cannot stand a lady with brains.