Cruz plans 36-county 'Cruzin' to Caucus' bus tour

Texas Republican Ted Cruz is planning a big Iowa push next month.

The U.S. senator and presidential hopeful will return to the state in January for a "Cruzin' to Caucus Iowa Bus Tour."

He plans to hit 36 counties in six days, starting Jan. 4 through Jan. 9.

"We're going to be putting on a lot of miles in January," said Bryan English, Cruz's Iowa state director.

The tour comes about a month after Cruz's last stop in the state. While the January tour will be the most stops he has made during a single visit to Iowa, it will not finish off a pledge Cruz made in June to go to all 99 counties.

Cruz has been on a seven-day tour of 12 cities in "Super Tuesday" states, or those that hold primaries March 1.

The latest Des Moines Register/Bloomberg Politics poll placed Cruz in the No. 1 spot among likely Republican caucusgoers, knocking businessman Donald Trump from the perch he had long held.

Full Iowa Caucuses coverage:

Trump is still first in many national polls, though.

Cruz's ascendance has meant more attacks and criticism.

Fellow 2016 candidate Marco Rubio, a Florida Republican, and Cruz have sparred and traded barbs in recent weeks over immigration and national security. Groups in Iowa have also gone after Cruz for his position against the Renewable Fuel Standard.

Here is a look at Cruz's tentative schedule for the bus tour with more details to be released later:

Monday, Jan. 4: Boone County, Greene County, Carroll County, Audubon County, Guthrie County, Madison County.

Tuesday, Jan. 5: Harrison County, Monona County, Ida County, Cherokee County, Sioux County.

Wednesday, Jan. 6: Lyon County, Osceola County, Dickinson County, Emmet County, Palo Alto County, Clay County.

Thursday, Jan. 7: Buena Vista County, Pocahontas County, Humboldt County, Kossuth County, Hamilton County, Wright County.

Friday, Jan. 8: Cerro Gordo County, Worth County, Mitchell County, Floyd County, Chickasaw County, Howard County, Winneshiek County.

Saturday, Jan. 9: Allamakee County, Clayton County, Fayette County, Bremer County, Butler County, Marion County.