POLL: Cruz Beating Trump in Iowa

Stephen Green | 2:06 PM on December 07, 2015

Republican presidential candidate Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, speaks during an interview with the Associated Press in Washington, Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2015. Cruz outlined an approach to foreign policy inspired by Ronald Reagan, saying he would restore the American leadership missing from the world under President Barack Obama. But pressed on how he would address specific hotspots of today, Cruz places limits on American action, including refusing to back ground troops to combat the Islamic State. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

Is Ted cruising to victory in the Hawkeye State?

The Monmouth University Poll of likely Iowa Republican caucus-goers released Monday found that 24% supported Mr. Cruz, followed by 19% backing Mr. Trump, 17% for Florida Sen. Marco Rubio and 13% supporting former neurosurgeon Ben Carson.

Former Fla. Gov. Jeb Bush received 6% of the support, Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul received 4%, and former Hewlett-Packard Co.HPQ -0.13% chief executive Carly Fiorina and Ohio Gov. John Kasich came in with 3% each. No other candidate cracked 2%; 4% of voters said they were undecided.

Iowa holds its caucuses on Feb. 1, the first nominating contest of the election cycle. On Saturday, five GOP candidates addressed the Rising Tide Summit in Cedar Rapids, one of the last multi-candidate events in Iowa before voting begins.

The poll and other recent surveys have shown that support for Mr. Carson has declined while Mr. Cruz has surged in the state. Mr. Carson has struggled on foreign policy questions in recent campaign forums, while Mr. Cruz has secured endorsements from a roster of conservatives including influential Iowa Rep. Steven King.

Earlier today I reported that the Washington Post wants you to believe that the Paris attacks aren’t why France’s National Front did so shockingly* well in Sunday’s regional elections. And now we have Ted Cruz, arguably the toughest-talking hawk in the GOP field, surging in Iowa.

It’s almost as if people care about not getting shot or blown up by foreigners.

*I wasn’t shocked — were you?