Thread: Gov. Branstad says he wants Ted Cruz defeated in Iowa On Politics Donnelle Eller and

Gov. Branstad says he wants Ted Cruz defeated in Iowa
On Politics
Donnelle Eller and Matthew Patane, The Des Moines Register 1:43 p.m. EST January 19, 2016

Iowa Republican Gov. Terry Branstad said Tuesday he would like to see Texas Republican Ted Cruz defeated in Iowa.

Speaking to reporters at the Iowa Renewable Fuels Summit, Branstad said Iowans would make a mistake in supporting Cruz, the current Iowa front-runner and staunch opponent of the Renewable Fuel Standard. The standard sets the amount of ethanol and renewable fuel that must be blended into gasoline.

"Ted Cruz is ahead right now. What we’re trying to do is educate the people in the state of Iowa. He is the biggest opponent of renewable fuels. He actually introduced a bill in 2013 to immediately eliminate the Renewable Fuel Standard. He’s heavily financed by Big Oil. So we think once Iowans realize that fact, they might find other things attractive but he could be very damaging to our state," Branstad said.

Branstad added that Cruz "hasn’t supported renewable fuels, and I think it would be a big mistake for Iowa to support him."

Asked whether he would want to see Cruz defeated, Branstad said "yes."

In 2013, Cruz co-sponsored legislation introduced by Wyoming Sen. John Barrasso that would have repealed the RFS immediately upon passage. Cruz sponsored his own legislation in 2013 and 2014 that called for a five-year phase out of the RFS.

While campaigning recently in Iowa, Cruz was followed by questions asking him to clarify his stance on the Renewable Fuel Standard and ethanol.

A group supporting the standard also tailed Cruz and his campaign bus, passing out pamphlets opposing Cruz. The group, America's Renewable Future, is run by Branstad's son, Eric Branstad.

On a his recent Iowa bus tour, Cruz answered questions on his ethanol stance that he supports a phase out of the RFS over a five-year period. Cruz also said he doesn't think government should be "picking winners and losers" in the energy sector.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/p...iowa/79006768/

This topic is already being discussed here:

http://www.alipac.us/f9/republican-i...feated-327583/

This thread was posted first so why is that something to comment on?

Originally Posted by Judy

This thread was posted first so why is that something to comment on?

I don't know how it happened, but it did. I'm just letting folk know so we don't have two thread discussing the exact same thing. Sorry if I offended you somehow.

No you didn't offend me at all.