Cruz gets Tea Party backing in Senate race

Houston Chronicle:

After taking credit for helping end the career of a venerable U.S. senator, the tea party behemoth - if there is such a thing - now turns its attention and resources to Texas, where a U.S. Senate candidate with ideological zeal and strong tea party ties is campaigning to derail another longtime elected official.

Two weeks before the May 29 primary, attorney Ted Cruz trails Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, according to polls, but the former solicitor general is banking on tea party support and high-profile endorsements to force Dewhurst into a runoff and then vanquish him in a midsummer vote.

Such an upset, as University of Houston political scientist Richard Murray noted recently, would immediately establish the 41-year-old Cruz as a player on the national scene with the potential to be on the Republican presidential ticket in 2016 or 2020. Although such an outcome looks unlikely, the energetic Cruz is pushing hard.

Four days before early voting begins, GOP superstar Sarah Palin and her husband, Todd, issued a public letter endorsing Cruz. The campaign reported that the Palin seal of approval prompted a gush of online contributions and social media excitement.

Club for Growth, the influential anti-tax group founded by Grover Norquist, came through with more tangible support for Cruz. A day after tea party candidate richard Mourdock knocked off Indiana Sen. Richard Lugar, the organization announced a $1 million ad campaign aimed at "moderate tax-raising David Dewhurst." Club for Growth spent $1 million on Mourdock's behalf, as well.

Two recent polls suggest that Dewhurst will not need a runoff to vanquish his three top challengers - Cruz, former Dallas Mayor Tom Leppert and former ESPN analyst Craig James - but conservatives still see Indiana as a portent.

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I have not seen the polls referred to above.  The last I saw gave Dewhurst a six point lead, but it was well short of a majority of voters and would indicate a runoff.  It was also before this latest round of endorsements and the Club for Growth ad buy.   It will be interesting to see if those moved the needle more in Cruz's favor.  It should be noted that Dewhurst has continued to get establishment endorsements including Gov. Perry and Gov. Huckabee.

The article mentions Dewhurst's ad attacking Cruz for one of his law firm's clients.  I was not moved by the ad and thought it unfair.  Some of his other ads have had an unusual focus on his father's service in world War II.  I don't think I have ever seen that type of ad before.  His best ads focus on what he wants to accomplish in Washington.  I suspect that Dewhurst is still the favorite in the race, but I would be surprised if he won outright in the first primary election.