Cruz did it again - went against the will of the people in Maine

Ted Cruz has done it again. He went against not only the will of the people in Maine, he went against the promises made before the Maine primary.

Cruz collected 19 out of 20 of Maine's Republican delegates during the state's GOP convention Saturday.

Before the Maine caucuses, the campaigns of each republican candidate agreed to split the delegates according to the vote of the people at the caucuses.

According to aides from both the Kasich and the Trump camps at the convention, all three campaigns had mutually agreed to a slate of delegates -- called a "unity ticket" -- with the help of LePage and state party officials prior to voting at the convention.

For the unity ticket, the campaigns had agreed that the delegates sent to the national convention should be actual supporters of the candidates they were awarded to, based on the results of the March 5 caucuses, and so each candidate's slots -- in Maine, 12 for Cruz, nine for Trump, and two for Kasich -- should be filled with people selected by their campaign.

www.cnn.com...

The results of the Maine caucuses were:

Republican 100% Reporting Delegates Allocated: 23/23
T. Cruz 45.9% 8,550 12
D. Trump 32.6% 6,070 9
J. Kasich 12.2% 2,270 2

www.politico.com...

So then at the state convention, Cruz stole the delegates and backed out on promises:

LePage said the actions were emblematic of the Cruz campaign. "As we have seen throughout the country, Cruz's national campaign is run by greedy political hoooligans."

The GOP is turning people away with these tactics. If it continues they WILL lose the White House, and probably every other office at all level of government, because they will have lost the trust and support of the voters.

.

a reply to: BlueAjah

Cruz is using Ron Paul tactics just like Sanders is using Obama tactics.

I'm sure Maine will remember this.

The Governor of Maine is furious:

Paul LePage, Maine's Governor April 22 at 4:10pm · Governor LePage Calls on Ted Cruz to Condemn Dirty Tricks by Campaign Operative at GOP Convention

AUGUSTA – Governor Paul R. LePage released a statement today opposing the underhanded tactics being used by operatives for Ted Cruz's national campaign at the Maine Republican Convention.

"Maine Republicans cast their votes at caucus and elected 12 delegates for Ted Cruz, 9 for Donald Trump and 2 for John Kasich," said Governor LePage. "We reached a deal with Cruz's national campaign to put up a unity slate that would honor the wishes of the thousands of Mainers who voted at caucus. But Cruz's Northeast Political Director David Sawyer lied to us and broke the deal. Sawyer stabbed us in the back, reneged on the unity slate and betrayed the Maine people."

"As we have seen throughout the country, Cruz’s national campaign is run by greedy political hooligans. These are the same operatives in the Republican Establishment who worked for Mitt Romney to disenfranchise Maine delegates in 2012. They are using sneaky and deceitful operators like Sawyer to try to subvert the democratic process and take all 23 delegates. I can't stand by and watch as Cruz and the Republican Establishment forcibly overrule the votes of Mainers who chose Trump and Kasich."

"Not only are Cruz’s national campaign operatives trying to suppress delegates for Trump and Kasich, but they are also besmirching the efforts of the many good Maine Republicans who are Cruz supporters. They, too, deserve better than these devious machinations by professional political operators from the Republican Establishment who are scheming to stifle the voice of Mainer voters.”

"I call on Senator Cruz to condemn Sawyer's disrespectful and dishonest tactics in Maine. Cruz is an honorable man, and I am confident that he will do the right thing by Maine people."

www.facebook.com...

a reply to: BlueAjah

Wait... How can Ted Cruz "steal" or "take" delegates? If they vote for him, they're for him. Cruz can't "make" them vote for him... In other words, Cruz CANNOT do what you have accused him of doing.

As regards what they "promised"... Not one of them has kept their PLEDGE to support the nominee... Trump is as guilty as Cruz is.

The right is a huge cluster bomb this election.

a reply to: BlueAjah

This doesn't surprise me at all, coming from that sleazeball.

He's just another POS politician hiding behind a facade of piety and being "Christian" who will say and do pretty much anything to get elected.

He gives me the creeps, and he seems so obviously phony and sleazy I'm surprised so many people *don't* see that.

a reply to: Benevolent Heretic

The candidates agreed before the Maine primary that the delegates would be split proportionately according to the will of the voters.

After the primary, Cruz was to have 12, Trump, 9 and Kasich 2. That is how the voters, the people, voted.

Then at the state convention, through backroom deals and "hooligan tactics", the Cruz party pushed out any delegates that would not support Cruz. They even tried to push out the one that was supporting Trump, but failed, only because he was the governor.

What they were left with was 19 for Cruz, and 1 for Trump.

That was NOT what was agreed to by all parties, nor what the people voted for.

In other words, Cruz broke the "rules" he is always touting as the logic for his corrupt tactics.

And don't think he can not "make" delegates vote for him. The elite insiders are pushing hard on delegates to do what the insiders want, regardless of what the delegates want. In Colorado, for example, the distributed a Resolution FORBIDDING delegates from voting for Trump.

originally posted by: BlueAjah
a reply to: Benevolent Heretic

The candidates agreed...

Cruz broke the "rules"

Even if there WAS an agreement (which your source says was never agreed upon), an agreement between candidates is not the same as the DNC official RULES.

Josh Dunlap, a Cruz delegate from first congressional district, disputed the idea that the Cruz camp had agreed to a unity slate idea.

Even if they HAD, the candidate doesn't determine where the delegates go, the DELEGATES do.

Cruz is a slimy dirtball and I HOPE he's not the nominee... But Trump is no better - and would do anything he could to "steal" delegates, too, if he had had a better campaign team. But, of course, he's ALWAYS the victim, ALWAYS the cry-baby, and he NEVER takes personal responsibility for his words or actions. Someone ALWAYS victimizes him.

I just don't buy it.

It could be these people are seeing a real danger in nominating Donald.

I will still vote for either of them to keep Hillary out, but the Donald that has alienated people with a few changes he has made lately is getting harder for me to stomach. The Ted is just reaping the rewards of the "anybody but Trump" crowd. But whoever wins between these two, the media will do everything they can to make that candidate out to be evil. There are no other choices to beat Hillary and these two better figure that out and come together.

Trump messed up with so many people that are Conservative R's, that he really lost their votes. I think the big turn is occurring now for a lot of Conservatives after he went all in on agreeing with letting those uncertain ones born male and who want to be a transgender (what? approximately 0.0001% ) go to the women's bathroom with young women and girls likely in there too . This when the Conservative base says it wants it not. That, along with the fact that there are some serious perverts who honestly do need to be in jail, and whom we most all know will be going in too to do their sleazy deeds is making it rough sledding for him. "Dirty deeds, done dirt cheap" while the girls attempt to do their business. Privacy for the females is why we separate the two sexes, cause men don't care if women use the men's room.

What is not helping Cruz is the lies told on him by Donald that everyone wants to eat up AND of course the way some of the caucus type votes have been going his way in just a few states are getting attention. The same treatment for the ones Trump won that same way or the whole state with 33% of the votes is just getting loud crickets. I fear the media wants Trump so they can more easily get Hillary in the oval office as she will get the nomination if even indicted. She surely should be indicted IMHO.

a reply to: Justoneman

The primary reason that the insiders do not want Trump is because they do not control him.

Trump is not owned by the GOP elite, the special interest groups, lobbyists, foreign governments, etc.
He will change their status quo, and that's what this country needs to happen.

a reply to: Benevolent Heretic

The only one saying there was no agreement is Cruz's campaign.

Both Trump and Kasich campaigns say there was.
And the GOVERNOR of Maine says there was an agreement. I am sure he would not risk his reputation with this information if it was not true.

a reply to: BlueAjah

I think he is predictable is why they want him and they can bait him into something really stupid. Seems he is wide open to be gamed.

Edit to add

Cruz is not so gullible but does give people the creeps. But i think he is true to the country and Constitution and is certainly not perfect but it appears to me he is one of our best hopes at this point in our Republic.

a reply to: BlueAjah
if they present cruz as the candidate, they are going to lose the white house anyways, unless of course the rig the vote somehow.

originally posted by: Justoneman
a reply to: BlueAjah


Cruz is not so gullible but does give people the creeps. But i think he is true to the country and Constitution and is certainly not perfect but it appears to me he is one of our best hopes at this point in our Republic.

While he may firmly believe in holding to *his* interpretation on what is constitutional, he sees things through a purely (christian) theocratic lens, and that is one thing that's so dangerous and frightening—because it's blatant.

a reply to: dawnstar

Everyone (except Cruz) seems to agree that the GOP is using Cruz. He just happened to be the one that survived the primaries long enough to be the only one they can use to possibly slow down Trump. And the main way he is slowing down Trump is by party backroom deals and shady delegate activity. That Cruz has survived this long has little to nothing to do with his popularity or ability to win voters.

They are using Cruz in an attempt to keep every delegate they can from Trump so that they can nominate whoever they want at the RNC.

a reply to: Justoneman

Cruz is not true to anyone but himself.

Have you noticed that his views on things change frequently. His most recent speeches seem to be almost copying word for word from Trump's campaign. He thinks it works for Trump, so he is trying to use it too.

a reply to: BlueAjah

TrusTed = CorrupTed

The thing I don't get is why are there so many states that don't let the people vote in the primary process?

I dislike all of them, but I thought Donald was the GREAT NEGOTIATOR. All he has done is moan and cry about how unfair the DEALS other people have made are. Why doesn't he step up and prove his boasts and negotiate himself some delegates.

a reply to: Benevolent Heretic

A better campaign team than the one who beat all of the GOP frat boys(and girls) and is winning? By A lot...I could see if he was losing and he was pointing out, not complaining, about how the delegates are collected. It makes Cruz's camp look bad and he already has the nomination so why not let him hang himself? Ted Cruz is like a vulture hanging outside a nice restaurant he is not allowed into.

It is not about victimization it is about pointing out corruption.He is showing the regular person out there how screwed up it is, very much like Sanders is within the DNC. Problem there is that Sanders appeals to college kids and....maybe 7 or baby boomers.

As far as personal responsibility, remember this.

Ledanowski - He stood by someone he knew did nothing wrong. He was not directly involved but he took responsibility and defended his stance

Cruz - The mailings and the Iowa Carson debacle...he never took responsibility. Said he did not know about it and he FIRED who he should have. All it showed is that he either lied or has no idea how his campaign is being run.

originally posted by: LDragonFire
The thing I don't get is why are there so many states that don't let the people vote in the primary process?

If people stop thinking of the parties as some part of the democratic process, and realize they are just a special interest group, they will realize that the primaries have NOTHING to do with the general election. They are just processes set up by the parties in each state to select their person for the general election. If there were 15 parties, it would make sense that they could come up with whatever means and rules they feel like to put them forward to the general election.

People have gotten primaries mixed up with the general election/electoral college because there are only really two viable parties. They think that they should have some say in what each party puts forth. In reality, the parties are private clubs that have every right to make whatever silly rules and regs for each state that the club exists. People have just sort of accepted that it is somehow part of some constitutional process even though it isn't.