LAS VEGAS, Nevada — 500,000 votes have already been cast in Sen. Ted Cruz’s home state of Texas, and one million will be cast by Friday, giving Cruz a decisive edge over Donald Trump, Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick told Breitbart News Tuesday night.
Patrick told Breitbart News that early voting favors Cruz, because Trump has not had as much time campaigning in Texas.
“This race is getting down to two people. Rubio doesn’t have a pathway to victory,” Patrick added, noting that one million early votes would represents 60 percent of the total in Texas.
With 100% of the Nevada caucus votes counted as of early Wednesday morning, it was clear that Cruz had finished a disappointing third behind businessman Donald Trump Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL), but won two counties, Elko and Lincoln. Rubio failed to win any counties in the state.
Candidates must win at least 20 per cent of the votes in Texas to be awarded any delegates, Patrick explained, suggesting that Trump and Cruz would likely be the only candidates receiving delegates in Texas on March 1, “Super Tuesday,” next week. He told reporters that if Rubio does break 20 per cent, he would still only win a couple of delegates.
Patrick emphasized that Texas alone has more delegates than Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina and Nevada put together, allowing Cruz to make up a significant portion of the current gap with Trump.
Texas has 155 total delegates, according to the GOP’s website. First-in-the-nation Iowa has 30 delegates, number two New Hampshire has 23, South Carolina has 50 and Nevada has 30 to award. That is a total of 133 delegates–and 22 less than Texas alone.
Patrick said of Cruz, “Everything he said he would do he’s done. He’s not caved in to Washington, to the cocktail party circuit.
“He stood up to them, and that’s tough.” Patrick added: “Texas will reward Ted Cruz because he kept his word.”
He went on to predict that Rubio would fail to win any states on Super Tuesday, adding that Rubio’s narrow second-place finish in South Carolina came with heavy support from the state’s governor and most of the legislature.
Nevada Attorney General Adam Laxalt and radio host Glenn Beck have also been on the campaign trail for Cruz, and took the stage at his victory party with the message that there is a path forward for Cruz, who remains the only candidate to win a state other than Donald Trump.
In his address, Cruz emphasized that he looking forward to Super Tuesday in Texas as a significant source of delegates.
“One week from today will be the most important night of this campaign,” Cruz told supporters, as Nevada results rolled in. “One week from today is super Tuesday, eleven states.”
“One week from today, the most delegates rewarded on a single day will be awarded next Tuesday. The role of the first four states is to narrow the field,” Cruz said.
Cruz will campaign in Texas on Wednesday.
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