Donald Trump says Ted Cruz should leave the presidential race

Thursday’s Republican presidential debate in Charleston is shaping up as two different battles. “We failed. It’s time for us to move on to other things”.

Texas Sen. Ted Cruz holds a small lead over billionaire Donald Trump in Iowa, less than three weeks before the nation’s first nominating contest, according to a new poll.

Writing in The Boston Globe, Laurence Tribe – who taught both President Barack Obama and Cruz at the Harvard Law School – said it’s unclear whether a more modern interpretation of the Constitution allows a person of Cruz’s status to run. The Texas senator has fired back that Trump’s “New York values” do not represent the modern Republican Party.

Donald Trump has been needling his main rival for the Republican presidential nomination, Ted Cruz, about his Canadian origins, suggesting this disqualifies him from the presidency. “Such a serious problem for Ted & the GOP. Dems will sue!” he tweeted on Wednesday. Trump has raised the issue repeatedly on the campaign trail, warning voters that it is certain to create complications and even invite lawsuits.

Trump said in a recent interview with The Washington Post that Republican voters should think twice before voting for Cruz, who could face challenges to his eligibility to serve as president given that he was born in Canada, and not the United States.

Trump and Cruz have been friendly over the past year, until now.

“Right now, the personality and the fighter, and somebody that’s going to metaphorically blow up the political system, seems to be more important than how someone may square up in a hypothetical race against Hillary”, said Matt Strawn, former Iowa GOP chairman.

Trump has been careful, though, not to directly criticize Cruz. The survey, conducted January 7-10, found that Cruz’s lead over Donald Trump had narrowed significantly. The two are virtually tied in the RCP polling average there.

Another reason to watch Thursday’s debate.

The stage this time will be notably less crowded.

The Paul campaign released a statement saying he would not take part in the undercard debate, instead deciding to travel to Iowa and New Hampshire, leaving Fiorina, former Pennsylvania Sen. Paul is boycotting the event altogether after failing to meet the national and early state polling threshold for entry.

Former Florida Governor Jeb Bush, Ohio Governor John Kasich and Carly Fiorina who could have been competitive for the establishment lane have largely faded (or in Kasich’s case was a non-starter in Iowa). A majority of every other candidate’s supporters said they were willing to shift their support. Rubio, Christie, Kasich and Bush should pray for a blowout by former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, because if Vermont Sen. One makes fun of boots Rubio was wearing and shows someone wearing a similar pair of “flipping boots”.

Conservative Solutions PAC, which is supporting the Florida senator, launched a response ad in Iowa calling Bush’s campaign “a train wreck” and throwing mud on his Sunshine State colleague. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) on the immigration reform bill.

Even after that, Cruz maintains the highest favorability rating among likely Iowa Caucus goers at 76 percent.

Her argument echoes that of fellow legal expert Laurence Tribe, a Harvard professor of constitutional law who penned a similar piece for The Boston Globe on Monday.

As a result, viewers could see the outspoken New Jersey governor come out swinging at the debate, which Fox Business Network, which is hosting the event, said will focus on “economic, domestic, and global policy issues”.