Cruz, Rubio, Walker, Paul - The GOP Leads the Generational Shift in American Politics

While Senator Marco Rubio has not yet announced his candidacy for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination, everything is in place for the inevitable day, a moment that will sever definitively the Jeb Bush-Marco Rubio personal and political relationship that has defined Florida GOP politics for almost two decades. Back when Rubio was Florida House Speaker and decided to run for the US Senate, he gave his mentor and political 'Godfather' Jeb Bush, then the former Florida governor of three years and thinkng about a political comeback, weeks to decide whether he would make his own bid for the Senate. “If he were to run,” Rubio wrote : “nobody would challenge him in the primary - certainly not me.” Bush decided not to run and worked hard behind the scenes to push Rubio’s long-shot campaign in the Republican primary against their shared enemy, the moderate Republican-cum-Democrat Florida Governor Charlie Crist, who had himself decided to run for the Senate. Jeb Bush introduced Marco Rubio to his top donors, helped him line up endorsements and offered needed advice. But, according to a recent New York Times article, Bush didn't endorse Rubio for months, not until it became clear that Rubio could win. Rubio’s allies think the delay was a political hedge that verged on disloyalty. Bush allies play down the timing of his endorsement, adding that it was no secret that Bush backed Rubio. Rubio’s 2010 underdog Senate victory marked the end of his being a Jeb Bush protégé. ~~~~~ And while the NYT is telling the story of the rise and fall of the Jeb Bush-Marco Rubio relationship, Mike Huckabee, the former governor of Arkansas who is considering a second run for President in 2016, has taken on Kentucky Senator Rand Paul, the newest official GOP presidential wannabe. Huckabee lectured Senator Paul about how running for President is “the big leagues,” following Paul’s testy exchange with “Today” co-host Savannah Guthrie. “I think the questions are fair,” Mr. Huckabee, a 2008 Republican presidential candidate, said on “Fox and Friends” Thursday morning. Politico reports that Huckabee said : “When you’re running for President, all is fair in love and war. This is war. This is the big leagues. You’re going to have to expect that you’re going to have a lot of fastballs that are going to be aimed right at your nose, and how you handle them is part of the process, it’s part of the game, if you will. So any question is fair, it’s just how you handle it. It’s like, the pitcher can throw what he wants. The question is, can you either put it in the third deck or do you rush the mound and take the pitcher on?” Paul came under fire Wednesday and was even accused of being sexist after his tense back-and-forth with Guthrie. Later, Paul said he has trouble with both male and female reporters' questions and will make a real effort to do better. Most political analysts are familuar with Rand Paul's bursts of pique at reporters. His outbursts are in stark contrast to his sure delivery of speeches to partisan followers. His announcement of his candidacy several days ago was masterful. But, Senator Paul must improve his unscripted reactions if he is to last long in the battle for the 2016 GOP nomination. ~~~~~ US Senator Ted Cruz announced his 2016 presidential campaign last month. And in an effort to give more donor input to Super PACS, his supporters have set up a unique set of four super PACs that expect to raise a whopping $31 million during their first week. The PACs are devoted to putting Cruz in the White House. The treasurer for at least three of the four PACs is Dathan Voelter, an Austin lawyer and longtime Cruz supporter. Voelter said Wednesday that the PACs - whose backers are described as "close, personal friends and strong supporters" of Cruz - are : "just getting started. Our goal is to guarantee Senator Cruz can compete against any candidate." They want to give Senator Cruz a level playing field against "his opponents in the Washington establishment and on the political left," Voelter said. The names of the PACs are "Keep the Promise PAC," "Keep the Promise I," "Keep the Promise II" and "Keep the Promise III." The four-pronged network could allow individual donors to have more authority than usual over the PACs' activities. Cruz's campaign has worked hard to show he has the fundraising prowess for what is expected to be the most expensive presidential race in US history. But, Cruz is not the only candidate connected to Texas with a super PAC backing his presidential ambitions. Last month, allies of former Texas Governor Rick Perry and of Jeb Bush scoured Texas in search of super PAC contributions. But, Mark Halperin, longtime GOP analyst, says the Super PACs backing Cruz are taking in a “record haul” that is “eye-popping,” Bloomberg’s Halperin writes : “Ted Cruz’s presidential effort is getting into the shock-and-awe fundraising business." Cruz’s early fundraisng success : "raises the stakes in the Republican fundraising contest." The rate at which the outside Super PACs pulled in $31 million to back Cruz, Halperin wrote, “is remarkable,” adding that there “are no known cases in which an operation backing a White House hopeful has collected this much money in less than a week.” What’s more, Halperin notes, this $31 million off the bat in the first week of these Cruz Super PACs is just the beginning : “Those involved in the Cruz Super PACS say many of his biggest financial backers haven’t yet made contributions to the new organizations and are expected to do so in the coming months." The Cruz effort will ensure that even if Jeb Bush out-fundraises Cruz, the Texas Senator will have enough funding to wage a fair battle. Because of this kind of effort, Cruz will be there on the main stage competing with Bush, Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker and other heavyweights until the last man. And he just might, as Halperin previously said, become the Republican nominee. Halperin says that according to a person familiar with the financing of the Cruz Super PACs, many of the donors are former backers of George W. Bush and former Texas Governor Rick Perry. Bush’s brother, Jeb, and Perry are seeking the White House now, which makes Cruz’s coup that much more impressive. ~~~~~ Dear readers, with Chris Christie being plagued by Bridgegate and rumors that federal indictments are coming, and questions about Jeb Bush's ability to become acceptable to the GOP base, we may be at a generational watershed in GOP politics. Cruz and Rubio represent a new conservative approach that blends traditional constitutional, fiscal and defense views with an appeal to younger voters who also support right-to-life and LGBT civil, but not religious, rights. Rand Paul plays well to a unique GOP sub-specie that ties the Constitution to libertarian isolationist defense views, while rejecting most GOP traditional views about family and social issues. And, Jeb Bush, 62, has the additional difficulty of family 'dynasty' issues. This dynasty question, as well as her age, 69, makes Hillary Clinton a relic of the past, despite her effort to appeal, or perhaps pander, to women, as does Jeb's age and backward agenda. The person elected President in 2016 will most likely be under 50 and conservative. This puts the Democratic Party on the sidelines -- with no possible Hillary challenger who fits this description. So, we should watch and listen carefully to the Republican candidates -- Cruz, Rubio, Walker, Paul -- because they will be setting the agenda for post-Obama America. And all of them believe that 2016 is the last real chance to "take America back" from the socialist progressive secular left.