Cruz won Iowa, was only a few percent behind in votes and delegates until two weeks after Super Tuesday, ended up with half of Trump's votes despite 19 states voting after Trump was the foregone winner (Trump dominated all those).
Maybe you don't follow American elections, but that's pretty fucking close. Cruz missed it by a hair (a beard hair).
Point being the base judged him as only slightly short of Trump. Although 5" shorter is a lot in American politics...
Trump got 34.4% of votes on super tuesday, Cruz got 29.2%. That's close.
As many votes for others as for either of them, could break for either.
Before that Trump had some wins because he was a big name and was pimped by operation pied piper, but at the height of the primaries it was basically tied. Bearded Cruz would easily have won it.
Cruz won Iowa, was only a few percent behind in votes and delegates until two weeks after Super Tuesday, ended up with half of Trump's votes despite 19 states voting after Trump was the foregone winner (Trump dominated all those).
Maybe you don't follow American elections, but that's pretty fucking close. Cruz missed it by a hair (a beard hair).
Point being the base judged him as only slightly short of Trump. Although 5" shorter is a lot in American politics...
Trump got 34.4% of votes on super tuesday, Cruz got 29.2%. That's close.
As many votes for others as for either of them, could break for either.
Before that Trump had some wins because he was a big name and was pimped by operation pied piper, but at the height of the primaries it was basically tied. Bearded Cruz would easily have won it.