Immigration Fuels Cruz-Rubio Clash

It was the showdown everyone wanted to see: Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio, the two young princes of right-of-center politics, feuding over the conservative crown.

After those things are done, however, Rubio still backs legalization and possible citizenship for the 11 million if they undergo a background check, pay a fine, and start paying taxes. “That may not be a majority position in my party, but that’s down the road”.

Despite his GOP frontrunner status, 50% of American voters nevertheless told Quinnipiac that they would be “embarrassed” to have Trump as the face of the U.S. And as the day wound down Friday, the campaign unleashed its closest thing yet to an attack ad, altering a previously released spot on Cruz’s Gang of Eight opposition to include an image of a jubilant Rubio flanked by Democratic colleagues who also worked on the bill.

“Let’s have a moment of simple clarity”, Cruz told reporters.

His campaign has noted a slew of positive reactions, including from people like Iowa radio host Steve Deace: “Tonight is first time Rand Paul has been the true liberty champion on a national stage as a presidential candidate he was expected to be”.

Rubio’s leadership on the 2013 bipartisan Gang of Eight comprehensive immigration reform bill is widely viewed as a potential hurdle as he pursues the GOP presidential nomination.

Immigration isn’t the only issue on which Bush hit Cruz by name. “Ted, you support legalizing people who are in this country illegally”, Rubio said, but Cruz responded that he had “led the fight” against legalization and amnesty.

“I have never supported legalization, and I do not intend to support legalization”, Cruz said Tuesday.

And then I listen to his rhetoric on that, and you want to make an argument that your amendment has the best chance of passing. But, as Baier mentioned, the Texas senator specifically told Byron York of the Washington Examiner in 2013 that this was not the case and “my objective was not to kill immigration reform”.

Schumer, one of the bill’s authors, then said that if Cruz’s amendment was adopted, it wouldn’t pass the Senate. The interview, aired live on Fox Wednesday night, showed a flustered Cruz attempting to reconcile his tough talk against amnesty for illegal immigrants with his past statements in support of a path to legal status. “And indeed, they would be eligible for permanent legal residency”. “I believe that’s the compromise that can pass”. You can watch it here.

Baier: That’s not what you said at the time. “That is not what you said at the time”.

Cruz said that “any Republican president would be a fool” not to include a “substantial portion” of the current GOP field in a future administration. But they are also running against Trump, who is dominating polls partially because of his hardline stance on immigration, including building a wall on the border with Mexico and banning all Muslim travel to the U.S.

It is a wonder that Cruz’s pants have not spontaneously combusted at some point as he tries to deny the reality of his record.

Cruz isn’t the only Republican candidate who speaks to those concerns.

MCCAMMON: Rubio helped craft legislation in Congress to overhaul the immigration system, including a path to citizenship for those in the country illegally.

During his roughly 30 minutes speech, Cruz called for the deportation of illegal immigrants who’ve committed crimes, dismantling the IRS and common core, and tearing up the Iran Nuclear deal.

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