Cruz is already more exciting than other 2016 prospects mentioned in Iowa

Byron York:

By all accounts, Ted Cruz, a man who has been in the Senate for all of seven months and was virtually unknown on the national scene just a year ago, dazzled Republicans during a weekend visit to Iowa. That was due first, of course, to Cruz’s considerable appeal as a politician. But the intensity of Cruz-mania could also reflect an emerging Republican unhappiness with the party’s 2016 presidential field.

Think back to 2011 and 2012. Many Republicans were deeply dissatisfied with their field, which saw Michele Bachmann, Rick Perry, Herman Cain, Newt Gingrich, and Rick Santorum lead the race before Mitt Romney finally captured the GOP nomination. But at the same time they bemoaned their choices, Republicans often remarked that the party had a “deep bench” for the future, and that the 2016 GOP primary race would be an “embarrassment of riches.”

That was then. Now, even though the race has not fully begun, Republicans in early-voting states are already taking a closer look at potential candidates. And when that happens, flaws emerge. At some point in the process, GOP voters will (probably) make their peace with at least one candidate’s flaws. But at this early stage, there’s a lot of evaluating — much of it negative — going on. 

Some of the complaints: Sen. Marco Rubio has hurt himself by taking the lead on comprehensive immigration reform. Rep. Paul Ryan was on the last losing ticket and might also anger the base on immigration. Gov. Bobby Jindal fails to ignite Republican passions. Sen. Rand Paul can be divisive. Gov. Chris Christie is too willing to work with Democrats (especially the one in the White House). Rick Santorum doesn’t have broad enough appeal. Former Gov. Jeb Bush carries his family’s baggage.

None are crippling weaknesses, and any one of these potential candidates might look much different a year from now. But the fact is, Republicans are in a period of flaw-finding at the moment, and they are finding flaws in most of the politicians who will make up their 2016 field.

And then along comes Ted Cruz. Straight-down-the-line conservative, smart as hell, anti-establishment, ready for a fight, professing a principles-based approach to politics — Cruz says what many Iowa conservative activists want to hear. And in the last few days they have heard it for the first time from a man who doesn’t have a very long record to complicate things. On top of that, Cruz is great with a crowd, big or small: he is a captivating speaker who leaves audiences fired up about themselves and their cause — and about Ted Cruz.

On Sunday, as Iowa Republicans were thinking about what they had just seen, I asked several if the Cruz phenomenon might be rooted at least in part in incipient dissatisfaction with the GOP field.

“I think Republicans, but especially conservatives, have soured on the likes of Rubio, Ryan, and Christie since the 2012 election,” answered Craig Robinson of the influential Iowa Republican blog....
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There is more.

Gov. Perry was not mentioned in the piece which may be an indicator of how much work he will have to do to get back in contention.  I think Scott Walker will also have a shot.  Ted Cruz has shown that being a principled conservative has its merits with GOP voters.  It is playing much better than working with Democrats on immigration reform, or pandering with the President to get money for disaster relief.

This piece also compared Cruz reception favorably to that of Rand Paul.