KALAMAZOO (WKZO-AM) — Republican presidential hopeful Ted Cruz says Michigan will play a major role in whether he claims the Republican nomination for president.
The senator from Texas stopped in Kalamazoo on Monday, stumping in front of a crowd of hundreds at the neighboring annex at Wings Stadium.
“Michigan is a big state, it’s an important state, and, I’ll tell you, the core of our campaign are working men and women,” Cruz told reporters before hopping on a bus to Iowa.
He also took a shot at frontrunner Donald Trump.
“It’s very easy for a candidate to claim to be a conservative on the campaign trail,” Cruz said. “I think what Republican primary voters are looking for is someone who is a consistant conservative, someone who is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow.”
Cruz is barnstorming through the Midwest, trying to drum up support before the Iowa caucuses in February. Michigan’s presidential primary takes place in March.
Cruz is in fifth in the latest poll from Pew Research, the favorite among six percent of likely Republican primary voters. Trump, at 25 percent, remains in first and Detroit native Dr. Ben Carson is in second with 16 percent
Marco Rubio and Carly Fiorina are tied in third with eight percent.
Cruz also blasted President Obama during his speech, calling the president’s plan to accept thosuands of Syrian refugees “nothing short of crazy.” He also claimed a large number of the people entering Europe are terrorists from the Islamic State.
– Anthony Pollreisz/John McNeill
