Rubio, Cruz Surge in N.H.; Trump Maintains Lead

Ted Cruz got 20 percent support, followed by Florida Sen. And I think on the campaign trail, we’re seeing Rubio punching up at Cruz, who is getting some of those big endorsements and kind of gaining in Iowa. Bush is mired in the low single digits in almost every poll, and every time he goes after Trump, he gets reminded of his anemic numbers and winds up with an uncomfortable, frozen smile.

Baier, however, tripped the usually self-assured senator up by quoting the lawmaker saying that the legislation was “the compromise that can pass”. “Or dealing with the Islamic terrorism that exists”, Bush said, referencing Trump’s complaints about CNN’s questions for other candidates. Cruz now likes to pretend that he merely meant his amendment as a poison pill, something that would make the entire bill unacceptable to Democrats. Cruz, and Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky, also took Rubio to task in what turned out to be one of the most substantive, impassioned arguments of the night: government surveillance and the balance between privacy and security.

Mr Trump walked back remarks he made at the weekend, where he called Mr Cruz a maniac, and Mr Cruz evaded questions about a private meeting where he raised doubts about Mr Trump’s judgment.

Such efforts will only boost the likely Democratic nominee, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Long said.

The Cruz campaign did not respond to requests for comment. The initiative opened a rift with his tea party constituency and a concerted effort by him to mend fences – a period he recalled as “a real trial for me”.

Trump, 69, shot back: “Oh yeah, and you’re a tough guy, Bush”, noting Bush’s falling standing in the polls and his resulting move down toward the end of the debate stage.

Rubio largely retreated from the attempt to overhaul immigration policy after the package he helped to steer passed the Senate but stalled in the House.

Later this month, when a woman asked him how he would address the American misconception that all Muslims are terrorists, he talked about how New Jersey has the second largest Muslim-American population, saying it was important to build communication with said community and that they couldn’t be blamed for the crimes of a few.

The Gang of Eight was a bipartisan group of senators who in 2013 crafted a compromise immigration reform bill. I don’t think so.

Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), meanwhile, has been a little less couched than Flake, telling the Guardian Cruz has “done a remarkable 180”. This came after a brief overview of what was said.

You know, there was a time for choosing, as Reagan put it. Where there was a battle over amnesty and some chose, like Senator Rubio to stand with Barack Obama and Chuck Schumer and support a massive amnesty plan.

“I oppose amnesty. I oppose citizenship”.

Sessions’ spokesman Stephen Miller called it an “extremely untenable interpretation” to say that supporting Cruz’s amendment amounts to supporting legal status.

“He wasn’t speaking to the room, he was laying down tracks for his presidential campaign”, he said.