As he has in just about all of his appearances since taking office in January, Sen. Ted Cruz left the Republican State Convention in Columbia, S.C., this week with a lot of new admirers.
Speaking without notes and reminding delegates that "change happens quickly," Cruz, a Republican from Texas, sparked immediate talk of him as a presidential hopeful in 2016.
Reminding Cruz that Ronald Reagan had addressed the same convention fundraising dinner before becoming president, State Party Chairman Chad Connelly told the Texan: "Not to put any pressure on you, but we have high expectations."
But others attending the dinner noted that if Cruz — who will be 46 in 2016 and have only four years in the Senate behind him—would be "trying to replicate Barack Obama," Delegate Peggy Geraghty of Hilton Head told the Washington Post, "I never agreed with Obama going for president so soon."
John Gizzi is chief political columnist and White House correspondent for Newsmax.
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