JD Rucker: A Guide for #CruzCrew to Help Ted Cruz’s Presidential Campaign Most Effectively

As the GOP nomination race reaches its hottest points, now is the time for his faithful supporters to do everything we can to help. That means voting and assisting others with their votes. That means educating; in a society that craves bite-sized bits of information, the general voting body lacks the knowledge to vote appropriately. It means donating; the biggest problem that previous conservatives have had is that they ran out of money to operate their campaigns. Most importantly, it means acting.

It’s in our actions as supporters that we have the greatest opportunity to shape our nation and secure our country’s future. You have the power. You talk to people. You have social media. You can comment on news sites, blogs, and YouTube. We’re behind the eight ball with other candidates (one in particular) wielding more volume and airtime on traditional and social media. The powers that be will never willingly allow Ted Cruz the time or platforms that other candidates receive, so we have to be the boost that evens the playing field. Without us, Ted Cruz will not be the next President of the United States.

Here are seven things to keep in mind that should help you maximize the effectiveness of your support. I encourage you to share this page often and check back as we will be updating the resources at the bottom regularly. This is unofficial, of course. The Cruz campaign has not endorsed or authorized this content. I’ve put this together based upon political campaigns I’ve worked on since 1992 (you can learn a lot from losing) combined with professional experience in marketing and public relations.

Without further adieu, here’s how you can help:

Stick to the Issues… with Emotion

We have one very potent advantage over other campaigns: the policies that Ted Cruz has laid out to fix the country are the most effective across the board. As such, it’s important that we familiarize ourselves with his stance on every issue and why he feels this way. Almost everything can be broken down into one word: conservatism. Unfortunately, the term has been misused by so many over the years that true conservatism has been lost in the mix. As such, we need to break the issues down further. For the most part, all of Cruz’s policy proposals are based upon combinations of the following principles:

Rein in the Size of Government.
Defend and Act Upon the Constitution.
Protect Individual Freedoms for Law-Abiding Citizens.
National Sovereignty and Security Go Hand-in-Hand.
Personal and Institutional Economies Flourish When Government Gets Out of the Way.
Help People Succeed Instead of Giving them Other People’s Success.
Know Your Friends. Know Your Enemies. Act Accordingly.

The best thing that you can do to familiarize yourself with where Ted stands on issues is to read about them here.

By no means does this mean we need to act like schoolmarms lecturing others. We must know why Ted is right on the issues and we must be able to communicate them with passion and trust. Don’t just tell people that Ted is right. Tell them why he’s right. Conversely, don’t just tell people that other candidates are wrong. Tell them why they’re wrong. For example, if someone likes Trump’s policy of halting Muslims from entering the country, they need to understand that a religious test for immigration or legal travel is subject to loopholes. Temporarily halting Muslims as Trump wants will only prevent honest Muslims from entering. Radical Islamic terrorists will be able to get around it with ease simply by claiming that they’re not Muslim. However, Cruz wants to halt immigration and travel from countries that are greatly influenced by terrorist organizations. One would have to go to much greater lengths to forge passports and create background checked identities. That’s much harder than saying, “I’m Buddhist. Let me in.”

Confidence without Pride or Boasting

The biggest mistake that Ted and many of his supporters made was to seem a bit too proud after the big win in Iowa. He received criticism from the biased mainstream media (they’ll always try to find fault in him) based upon his victory speech. That won’t happen again.

For our part, we also reacted poorly. Not all of us, of course, but I saw (and participated in) a little too much boasting and taunting. It was a great victory, but many of us let it overtake us.

There’s nothing wrong with expressing confidence before votes or throughout the campaign. In fact, it’s encouraged. However, we have to do so with humility. Every vote is a blessing. Every victory is not our glory, Ted’s glory, or anyone’s glory other than God’s. As such, we have to remain above the fray and not lower ourselves to the level of other candidates’ supporters.

Avoid Despair

There’s a flip side. Ted is going to lose some battles. He’s going to get nasty stories written about him. He’s going to make mistakes. We cannot allow any of that to get us down or doubt our cause. Have faith and stay true to the mission regardless of what happens.

Remember, the mainstream media, the “Washington Cartel,” the other candidates, and the Democrats are ALL aligned against him. He is feared and hated by more opposing forces than any other candidate I’ve seen since Ronald Reagan. Just as Reagan rose above the competition through hope and a resolute heart, so too must we do the same.

It’s easy to get down with any bad news. As someone who reads pretty much all of it, I can tell you that it can be difficult to stay upbeat. Then, I allow my faith in my Father and belief that the campaign is the best organized in history to carry me through the despair and fight even harder on the other side.

Addressing Each Candidate’s Supporters

As Kenny Rogers sang, “You’ve got to know when to hold ’em, know when to fold ’em, know when to walk away, and know when to run.”

If you are talking to someone who supports another candidate but is open-minded or who is undecided, it’s your time to make the case. Hold ’em.

If they’re adamant with their support and want to argue points, here them out and correct when appropriate. Do so with kindness and not boastfulness. Also, be sure to defend your points with facts from good sources. Lastly, be sure to point out that it’s okay that they’ve been misinformed. For example…

.@Reed8570 @WashingtonDCTea Yes, that's the narrative of liberal media and Trump, but he actually outspent Cruz 7:1 http://pic.twitter.com/98tdPhM3NN

— JD Rucker (@0boy) February 17, 2016

If they’re unwilling to hear reason, it’s time to fold ’em and move on.

If they’re pushing for a fight, walk away.

If they’re trolls, run.

Spend your time talking to those who are willing to listen to reason. Fighting with others’ passionate supporters or trolls is a waste of your time. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t defend Ted when there are blatant lies being told, but do so in a way that corrects the issue and then move on. Don’t get trapped by a depressing troll who simply wants to tear you and Ted down.

Know Thy Enemy

It’s not just about knowing where Ted stands on topics. It’s important to be able to give a reasoned argument based upon the history and policy proposals of his opponents. Everyone has a gotcha and unfortunately those gotchas are often overplayed. It helps to know other things about the opponents that you can point to as a reason that you do not support their candidacy.

Another thing to remember, especially when addressing someone else’s supporter, is to know what you like about them. The good ol’ “but” is very effective because it allows you to justify their support while allowing room for them to rethink it. Here are examples for the candidates that are still in the race going into the South Carolina primary:

“I think Donald Trump has some good ideas, but his proposals outside of immigration are simply too liberal. He currently supports affirmative action, touchback amnesty, massive entitlement expansion, government-mandated healthcare, and a progressive tax plan. Cruz supports none of these and his flat tax plan has been rated the best for helping the economy grow by the non-partisan Tax Foundation.”
“Marco Rubio seems to be faithful and relatively conservative on most issues, but his use of a government credit card to pave his driveway and travel to a family reunion is worrisome. He’s had huge challenges with his own finances and it shows in his policies that are designed to increase the size of government. Today, we just can’t afford a fiscally irresponsible President.”
“Jeb Bush has a lot of experience and a Republican name, but he hasn’t handled things very well on the campaign. He was the frontrunner with a double-digit lead before Trump entered the race. If he crumbles so quickly because of Trump, how will he be able to handle Vladimir Putin or Kim Jong-un?”
“I like John Kasich’s heart, but he’s too willing to bridge the gap with the Democrats. Some might say that he’s actually crossed all the way over to the dark side. Now is not the time for making deals. Now, we must reverse the damage that Barack Obama has done and the Democrats won’t do it willingly for John Kasich or anybody. We need someone like Cruz to stand up to them, as he’s always done. The difference this time is that as President, they won’t be able to stop him like the did in the Senate.”
“Ben Carson is a good man. He has some great ideas like his flat tax plan, but his heart simply isn’t into this. He’s raising funds for the sake of raising funds, which tells us that he’s preparing himself for a windfall after he loses the nomination rather than a strong campaign if he wins it.”

Learn about the opponents. There’s a reasoned argument that can be made about any of them.

Pray

If you’re offended by this request, I should remind you that one of the reasons that Ted Cruz is running is to make sure that we’re still allowed to call for prayer.

If you’re not religious, try praying anyway. It can’t hurt, right? It’s just a few moments speaking to either your Father (if I’m right) or nobody (if you’re right).

If you’re a believer, get on your knees regularly and pray for clarity for Ted Cruz, discernment for the voters, and for God’s Will to be done for America.

Be Active on Social Media

This is where most people have the biggest opportunity to make a difference. Get on Facebook, Twitter, and other social media sites and represent Ted Cruz as his army of passionate supporters united under the common goal of taking this country back. Eight years of President Obama have been disastrous. We need the strength, diligence, and principles that only Ted Cruz brings to the table in order to correct the course of the country before it’s too late.

It’s not just about posting. It’s about responding. Trump’s supporters have a penchant for leaving quick quips or unintelligible statements of support. They also throw out insane insults and offensive memes. Rise above. Be the smartest person in the threads. Give a reasoned response. Include supporting facts. Represent Ted’s campaign as a supporter who knows what you believe and why you believe it.

There’s also support that is needed. On Facebook, regularly search for and engage with posts about Ted and other candidates. Like positive posts. Reply to positive comments with affirmation and reply to negative comments with educated, measured responses.

On Twitter, like and retweet supporting posts. It’s a good practice to check the appropriate hashtags regularly. For example, if you check TCOT, CCOT, and the other hashtags and then like and retweet the supporting Tweets, you’ll be helping them to receive as much exposure as possible. Be sure to also follow the upcoming state events. For example, as of the writing of this article the #SCPrimary hashtag is important.

Of course, make sure your active supporting his Twitter account and Facebook page.

Below, you will find links to content that you should be able to share at any time. I’ll be updating the list regularly.

Final Note

I’m old enough to remember what America was like under Ronald Reagan. Things weren’t perfect, but we had a purpose. We had a direction. We had a country that was undisputed as the leader of the world. Other countries either liked or feared us. Prosperity was at a high point.

I’ve watched over the years as Democrats and moderate members of the Republican Establishment systematically broke the country down from its high point to where we were just before 9/11. The tragic event took many lives but it also woke the nation up to our need to unite. Unfortunately, that wasn’t George W. Bush’s strong point nor was it his focus. He intended to keep us safe and he did. For that, I’m grateful. However, he also opened the door to liberal ideologies and big government ideals that hurt us in other ways. Then, we had Barack Obama and almost all was lost.

If Ted Cruz does not win the nomination, there’s a chance that the next President, likely a Democrat, will finish what Obama started. The country will be lost. There has never been a more important time in modern history for us to have the exact right person sitting in the White House and guiding the country back from the brink. That exact right person is Ted Cruz. He was made for this moment and he needs your passionate support.

Evergreen Content to Share

I’ll be updating this regularly (every day whenever possible). Share these links, images, and statements often on Facebook, Twitter, and elsewhere.

Images

Some are Tweets. Some are uploaded. Just save them to your computer or post them directly.

MT @cindiperez48: Now more than ever! We need a strong Military! TED CRUZ 2016 http://pic.twitter.com/IJBYx2RGqK #CruzCrew #PJNET

— Erin Lichnovsky (@ErinLichnovsky) February 8, 2016

MT @ChuckNellis: Conservatives, come together & vote for the Conservative, #TedCruz! #NHPrimary http://pic.twitter.com/AOuoHzLFOW #CruzCrew #PJNET

— CROSSWIND (@crosswindlive) February 8, 2016

WATCH:
Ted Cruz NOT running for President.
Consistent. Conservative.https://t.co/gu9VnF6YPi #CruzCrew #PJNET #TCOT http://pic.twitter.com/jP3o6zDA34

— Teri Sasseville (@TeriGRight) February 8, 2016

MT @JosephEach: @tedcruz has done exactly what he said he would do. Even when he stood alone. http://pic.twitter.com/K5UIyiOsjm #CruzCrew #PJNET

— LisaMarie Michaels (@mygirl971) February 8, 2016

MT @cruzgrassroots: #TedCruz knows what it's like to lose Liberty! #TCOT http://pic.twitter.com/mWmaGqDzma #CruzCrew #PJNET

— Bob Michaels (@cpcllc) February 8, 2016

#CruzCrew knows only one candidate has staunchly represented & defended their principles & values. He is @TedCruz! http://pic.twitter.com/jCkyGMz7Z8

— JoeySkins #CRUZILLA! (@JosephEach) February 9, 2016

Thank you New Hampshire! We are just getting started! #CruzCrew #CruzToVictory https://t.co/EsRCkQJp3x http://pic.twitter.com/tM4diO17lo

— Truth Teller Ted (@TruthTellerTed) February 10, 2016

Stick to our core conservative values and help grow the @TedCruz army. Join the movement! #CruzCrew http://pic.twitter.com/xqQ3M3LCFm

— JoeySkins #CRUZILLA! (@JosephEach) February 11, 2016