Mark Harris seeking support from Ted Cruz

[AdamL]

Republican Mark Harris recently met with Texas Sen. Ted Cruz as he looks for support for his U.S. Senate bid in North Carolina.

The meeting, confirmed by Harris’ campaign Thursday, shows how the Charlotte pastor is reaching out to tea party leaders as he challenges rival Thom Tillis in the Republican primary and seeks to fend off lesser-known anti-Republican establishment candidates.

Spokesman Mike Rusher said Harris and Cruz met in Washington on a recent campaign trip. It was arranged with the help of Tony Perkins, the president of the Family Research Council, a social conservative advocacy group. Perkins counts Cruz and Harris as allies.

Harris is seeking support from a number of big-name Republicans and the spokesman downplayed the significance of the meeting. “We are not in a position to announce any endorsements or anything right now,” he said. “At this point, I wouldn’t read anything into it.”

If Cruz does support Harris, it would provide a big boost to the campaign. It also would set up a showdown with challenger Greg Brannon, who Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul recently endorsed in the Senate race. Cruz and Paul are national leaders among constitutional conservatives.

Brannon aide Nick Dyer is a former Cruz staffer and the campaign is actively courting far-right supporters as it labels Tillis part of the Republican establishment.

Read more here: http://www.newsobserver.com/2013/11/21/3393216/senate-candidate-mark-harris-seeking.html#storylink=cpy

This could be very bad if it happens. Brannon needs to reach out to Cruz if he hasn't already.

[TaftFan]

Not happening.

[Mr.NoSmile]

Not happening.

You never know. If Brannon has met with Cruz, then not happening, but Harris has at least met with him. Hopefully Dyer can turn that around since he worked for Cruz's campaign.

[TaftFan]

You never know. If Brannon has met with Cruz, then not happening, but Harris has at least met with him. Hopefully Dyer can turn that around since he worked for Cruz's campaign.

I don't think Cruz would go out of his way to oppose a Rand pick, even if he liked Harris more, which I doubt.

Plus maybe Cruz's biggest support, Erick Erickson, has endorsed Brannon.

[wealeat]

Ted Cruz is isn't going to waste political capital on someone who can't beat Hagan. A pastor is not going to win in a purple state.

[mz10]

Ted Cruz is isn't going to waste political capital on someone who can't beat Hagan. A pastor is not going to win in a purple state.

I'm convinced that Ted Cruz doesn't give two shits about winning and losing

[mz10]

The more I hear from Ted Cruz, the more I'm convinced that he's an impulsive, irrational person. Not an Establishment plant, not a spy for Goldman Sachs, just someone who makes impulsive, self-centered decisions.

[aclove]

Having participated in a conference call with Dyer on the campaign's strategy, I can tell you two things: 1, Cruz and Lee are VERY aware of Brannon, and 2, either Brannon is getting their endorsement, or no one is. Harris can meet with Cruz all he wants, but he's going to be disappointed. Don't worry about this one, seriously.

[mz10]

Having participated in a conference call with Dyer on the campaign's strategy, I can tell you two things: 1, Cruz and Lee are VERY aware of Brannon, and 2, either Brannon is getting their endorsement, or no one is. Harris can meet with Cruz all he wants, but he's going to be disappointed. Don't worry about this one, seriously.

I worry about the FRC connection though - if Cruz is running for president, he's gonna need the support of groups like that, and he may be willing to suck up to them for that reason. I hope what you're saying is still true though.

[lib3rtarian]

I worry about the FRC connection though - if Cruz is running for president, he's gonna need the support of groups like that, and he may be willing to suck up to them for that reason. I hope what you're saying is still true though.

The name Tony Perkins kinda depresses me. Him and Bob Vander Plaats in IA push Santorum/Huckabee type candidates and would never go for a Ron/Rand type. And they should be blind to not know that Brannon is more in the vein of Ron/Rand than Cruz, and would never push social conservatism as his main agenda (maybe except for abortion, which Brannon is super-passionate about, but even that Brannon takes an educational approach to it, rather than the use-State-force-and-ban-it-all method which the Perkins type wants). I guess we will have to wait and see.

[Oldsouljer]

Don't be too hard on social conservatives. I'm one and so is one of my closest friends...and we're Brannon all the way or bust. Fact is, Brannon needs wide sector support to pull this thing off in May. On another note, I personally think that one of the shrewder things Brannon has done is to take advantage of the grass roots rebellion in such a way as to quietly bring a number of GOP county chairmen over to his side. Unfortunately, a few have made it a little to obvious about their support to the point of breaking NCGOP rules. By itself, that's not a bad thing but it ruined the element of surprise. The Tillis camp now knows they're facing significant resistance at the county level of the Party.

[Mr.NoSmile]

Don't be too hard on social conservatives. I'm one and so is one of my closest friends...and we're Brannon all the way or bust. Fact is, Brannon needs wide sector support to pull this thing off in May. On another note, I personally think that one of the shrewder things Brannon has done is to take advantage of the grass roots rebellion in such a way as to quietly bring a number of GOP county chairmen over to his side. Unfortunately, a few have made it a little to obvious about their support to the point of breaking NCGOP rules. By itself, that's not a bad thing but it ruined the element of surprise. The Tillis camp now knows they're facing significant resistance at the county level of the Party.

Tillis still has the State General Assembly's backing, though.

http://thomtillis.com/nc-senators-representatives-endorse-tillis/

[mz10]

Tillis still has the State General Assembly's backing, though.

http://thomtillis.com/nc-senators-representatives-endorse-tillis/

Given all his State House ties, I'm surprised he doesn't have more endorsements. That really isn't that impressive.

[Oldsouljer]

Tillis still has the State General Assembly's backing, though.

http://thomtillis.com/nc-senators-representatives-endorse-tillis/

Of that you can be certain. But it isn't the legislature that runs the polling stations, picks the judges, works the polls for the candidates, etc. And during PRIMARY elections, Establishment/Money candidates are at their minimal point of leverage, thanks to far less turnout than in general elections.