Groups Now Coalesce to Support the Texas Senator for President
HOUSTON, Texas – In unprecedented fashion, Senator Ted Cruz won the North Carolina Tea Party Constitutional Caucus, receiving just over 50 percent of the vote from conservative activists across the state. Dr. Ben Carson took second place, while no other candidate received more than 4 percent.
Hoping to strengthen the influence of conservatives in North Carolina, Tea Party groups decided to hold a statewide caucus to determine whom the groups would collectively support in the primary. Cruz's victory over the weekend signals that conservatives will coalesce around the Texas senator, rather than split their vote among various candidates.
"North Carolina is an important state for the Republican primary, and our campaign will continue to build our team in the Tar Heel state to ensure our campaign is competitive," said Cruz. "The Tea Party will be instrumental in helping to organize and elect a strong constitutional conservative and I am honored to receive their support."
Cruz has long been a favorite of Tea Party groups, and the results from the caucus this weekend continue to show that he remains the activists' choice for president.
Ted Cruz, Cruz Campaign Press Release - Cruz Wins North Carolina Statewide Tea Party Caucus Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/315189