Republican debate sure to highlight party’s fractured field

By contrast, Cruz of Texas holds wide leads over Trump and Rubio when it comes to being a “true conservative”, “religious” and “experienced”. Marco Rubio, deemed a true contender by politicos and betting markets, is seen as a less experienced than Cruz and as more of an “establishment” politician.

Cruz said it’s obvious his candidacy is making Trump nervous. If he doesn’t place at least third in a state he’s bet his future on, his big shiny bus with a ticking debt clock on it might as well drive him back to Columbus, where he can figure out how to get the winner’s eventual approval to add him to the ticket as vice president.

The survey, conducted January 7-10 by Selzer & Co. of West Des Moines, Iowa, included 500 likely Republican caucus participants.

The outlet accumulated percentage points through weighted polling averages, and with more recent polls being prioritized than the older ones to make the results much more reliable.

You and the Texas senator and the NY businessman and the former secretary of state and all candidates already know the only poll that counts.

Being targeted by Trump is a new position for Cruz, who has taken the lead in some polls of Iowa Republican voters in part by avoiding tangles with Trump.

Still, going into the last stretch before the nominating contests start February 1, Clinton is escalating her attacks on Sanders, including on gun control. Also, four others in a fight for survival: New Jersey Gov. Christie, former Florida Gov. Bush, Ohio Gov. John Kasich and retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson. The intensity has increased in recent days, with both men boosting their personal appearances and advertising. But it’s impossible to measure whether Trump’s birther charge eroded Cruz’s support because respondents weren’t asked about it in the last poll-it wasn’t an issue until Trump made it one.

“More and more observers are saying this is coming down to a two-man race between Donald and me”, Cruz told Kelly. He has upside potential, for sure.

“There’s a lot of people who were very interested in him and continue to be, but in Iowa it just seems like he hasn’t fully committed himself to aggressively campaign in the state and that’s causing some pause”, Iowa Republican strategist Doug Gross said.

Trump has repeatedly questioned Cruz’s eligibility to be president, though most legal experts believe the senator’s American mother means he meets the constitutional requirement that the president be “natural-born” citizens.

Cruz said Trump has been starting his speeches for the past week attacking him and Hillary Clinton supporters have been amplifying Trump’s attacks on Cruz because, he suggested, Trump is the weaker candidate against Clinton. His next closest competitors are Cruz and Rubio, with 19% and 11% support, respectively. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump points to the crowd while speaking at a rally Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2016, in Cedar Falls, Iowa. Trump may not be the establishment choice, yet without needing to bow to party mandarins, he boasts unprecedented media coverage, boundless funding and high poll numbers.

“She and Donald know each other well”, he went on, “and I do think it’s interesting that Hillary Clinton’s key supporters are doing everything they can to echo Donald’s attacks on me”.