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TedCruzsSupportSoftensAmong
theDelegatesHeCourted
ByJEREMYW.PETERS

MAY1,2016

EvenasDonaldJ.TrumptrouncedhimfromNewHampshiretoFloridato
Arizona,SenatorTedCruzcouldreassurehimselfwithonecrucial
advantage:HewasbeatingMr.Trumpintheobscure,internecinedelegate
fightsthatcouldendupdecidingtheRepublicannominationforpresident.
ThisishowelectionsarewoninAmerica,Mr.Cruzgloatedafter
walkingawaywiththemostdelegatesinWyominglastmonth.
Now,ashefacesapotentiallycandidacythreateningconteston
TuesdayinIndianawhereanewNBCNews/WallStreetJournal/Marist
poll,releasedSundaymorning,showedhimtrailingMr.Trumpby15
percentagepointsMr.Cruzcantakelittlesolacefromhisvaunted
delegatewranglingoperationevenifheprevailsthere.
Itturnsoutthatdelegateslikeordinaryvotersaresusceptibleto
shiftsinpublicopinion.AndasthegravitationalpullofMr.Trumpsrecent
primarylandslidesdrawsmoreRepublicanstowardhim,Mr.Cruzs
supportamongthepartys2,472conventiondelegatesissoftening,
threateninghishopesofpreventingMr.Trumpsnominationbyovertaking

himinafloorfight.
WitheachdelegateMr.Trumpclaims,hegetsclosertothe1,237he
needstoclinchthenominationoutright,andMr.Cruzschancesofstopping
himevenwithanupsetvictoryinIndianashrink.
BeforeMr.TrumpscrushingvictoryinPennsylvanialastweek,Mr.
Cruzscampaignboastedthatithad69peopledevotedtoacquiringas
manyaspossibleofthestates54unbounddelegateswhoarefreetovote
astheypleaseonthefirstballot,makingthempotentiallydecisiveplayers
inacontestedconvention.
Mr.Cruzwononlythree.
InNorthDakota,wheretheCruzcampaigndeclaredvictoryafterthe
stateRepublicanconventiononApril3anddeclaredthatithadwonavast
majorityofthestates28unbounddelegates,Mr.Cruzssupportappears
tobeweakening.Ininterviews,delegatessaidhereallyhadonlyabouta
dozenfirmcommitmentstobeginwith,andsomeofthemappeartobe
waveringashefallsfartherbehindMr.Trump.
AndinstatesacrosstheSouth,whichwassupposedtobeMr.Cruzs
bulwark,somedelegatesarenowechoingagrowingsentimentinsidethe
RepublicanParty:asenseofresignationtotheideathatMr.Trumpwillbe
theirstandardbearer.
Honestly,wedidntthinkhecouldgetthisfar.Andhedid,Jonathan
Barnett,theRepublicannationalcommitteemanforArkansas,saidofMr.
Trump.Mr.Barnett,whosupportedformerGov.MikeHuckabeesfailed
campaign,saidhisfocushadshiftedtowinninginNovember,evenifthat
meantunhappilyfallinginbehindMr.Trump.
ThechangesofhearthavelittletodowithanyepiphanyaboutMr.
Trumpselectabilityorhiscampaignsrecenteffortstocasthiminamore
seriouslight.Instead,delegatesandpartyofficialssaid,theyarereadyto
moveonandunitebehindsomeonesothatRepublicansarenothopelessly
dividedheadingintothegeneralelection.

AndmanydelegatesciteconcernsaboutwhetherMr.Cruzisreallya
betterchoice.Theresjustasmanypeoplethatwouldquestionwhether
theycouldgetbehindCruz,Mr.Barnettsaid.
ThisgradualacquiescencepointsupalargerflawwithMr.Cruzs
strategyofbeingthelastnonTrumpcandidatestandinginafieldthat
beganat17:ItwasneverasmuchabouthimasaboutRepublicansgrasping
foramorepalatablealternativetoMr.Trump.
ButtheneverintheNeverTrumpmovementisbeginningtolook
morelikeareluctantly.
ImnotintheanybodybutTrumpcampaign,saidJimPoolman,a
delegatefromNorthDakota.ImintheanybodybutHillarycampaign.
Mr.PoolmansaidhestillplannedtovoteforMr.Cruzonthefirstballot,
whichhetoldthecampaignhewoulddo.Buthesaidhisdecisionwasnot
setinstone.Imtryingtoholdontomycommitmentbutstillbe
pragmatic,hesaid.Theresalotofstuffthatcouldhappenbefore
Cleveland.AndIknowthatmakesmesoundsquishy,butIdontmeanit
thatway.
DelegateslikeMr.PoolmanareemblematicoftheCruzcampaigns
largerproblemsholdingontovotesatacontestedconvention.
Mr.PoolmaninitiallyfavoredSenatorMarcoRubioofFlorida,who
withdrewfromtheraceinMarch.WhileMr.Poolmanwaslookingfor
anothercandidate,hesaid,localCruzvolunteersaskediftheycouldaddhis
nametothelistofdelegatecandidatessupportingMr.Cruzatthestate
convention.HesaidMr.Cruzswife,Heidi,calledhimandgavehimher
cellphonenumber,sayinghewouldalwayshaveadirectlinetothe
campaign.Andhewaselectedadelegate.
Butnow,Mr.Poolmansaid,heworriesaboutpartydisunityandwhat
itcouldmeanforRepublicansinNovember.Mygoal,personally,hesaid,
istonotletourconventionbecomeacircus.
ThechairmanoftheNorthDakotaRepublicanParty,KellyArmstrong,

saidMr.Cruzsappealremainedstrongthere,butputhissupportamong
thestates28unbounddelegatesatatleast10notquitethevast
majoritytheCruzcampaignhadclaimed.
Mr.Armstrong,whohasnottakensides,saiddelegatesalsohadto
considerhowdenyingthenominationtoMr.Trumpmightlooktohis
supporters.Wecanthaveabunchofpeoplereally,reallyupsetaboutthe
processandthenthinkweregoingtobeabletogaintheirsupportin
November,hesaid.
TheresultsinPennsylvaniaweremosttroublingforMr.Cruz.Hehad
dominatedthedelegatefightsinColoradoandWyoming,conteststhatwere
influencedbythekindsofpartyactivistsMr.Cruztendstoattract.YetMr.
Trumpappearedtowinatleast40ofPennsylvanias54unbounddelegates.
Theresnotgoingtobeasecondballot,saidAshKhare,whowaselected
lastTuesdayasanunboundPennsylvaniadelegate.Mr.Kharedeclinedto
supportanycandidatebeforetheelection,thoughMr.Cruz,Mr.Trumpand
Gov.JohnKasichofOhioallcamecalling,hesaid.Iwaspromisedaphoto,
aprivatemeeting.Forgetaboutit,Mr.Kharesaid,addingthatheonlyever
intendedtovoteforthecandidatewhowoninhisdistrict.
ThatwouldbeMr.Trump.Mr.Kharesaidhewasnotespeciallydrawn
toanythingaboutMr.Trumporhisideas.Whetherhewillsucceedornot,
Idontknow,hesaid.Buthesaidhecouldnotdenythewillofsomany
voters.Thereisarevolutiongoingonhere,headded.
VotersmaybestartingtoshareMr.Trumpsreasoningthathewould
deservethenominationevenifhefellshortof1,237delegates.Arecent
NBCNews/WallStreetJournalpollfoundthatmorethansixin10
Republicansbelievethenomineeshouldbethecandidatewiththemost
votesevenifhedoesnothavethesupportofthemajorityofdelegates.Still,
Mr.Trumpscampaignismovingtonaildownthedelegatecommitments
hewouldneedtogetamajority.
WiththeIndianaprimarypotentiallyamakeorbreakmomentfor
stoppingMr.Trump,Mr.Cruzcanonlyhopethecampaignonceagain

takesanunexpectedturn.Trumpisverypopularinourstate,saidAlecL.
PoitevintII,alongtimeRepublicanleaderinGeorgiaandpreviouslya
Rubiosupporter,butnowuncommitted.Hewillbeabounddelegateonthe
firstballot,buthehasnotyetbeenassignedtoapresidentialcandidate.
AndifheisrequiredtovoteforMr.Trump,whowonGeorgiawith39
percentofthevote?
Finewithme,hesaid.
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