AP Photo Cruz hits back against Branstad, labels Iowa governor part of ‘Washington cartel’

CENTER BARNSTEAD, N.H. — Ted Cruz on Tuesday dismissed Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad as a crony capitalist who is part of the GOP establishment, hours after the prominent Republican governor indictated that he did not want Cruz to win Iowa.

“It is no surprise that the establishment is in full panic mode,” Cruz told reporters here. “We said from the beginning, that the Washington cartel was going to panic more and more. As conservatives unite behind our campaign you’re going to see the Washington cartel firing every shot they can, every cannon they can. Because the Washington cartel lives on cronyism, it lives on making deals, it lives on picking winners and losers and supporting corporate welfare and cronyism. This is what people are so fed up with.”


He added, “We will see, like ‘The Empire Strikes Back,’ the establishment will strike back because they don’t want an end to cronyism and the gravy train from Washington.”

Branstad, the longest-serving governor in America history, earlier Tuesday said he wanted Cruz — the current Iowa poll-leader — to lose his state, due in large part to the Texas senator’s opposition to the Renewable Fuel Standard, or ethanol mandate. Cruz has characterized the mandate, which is popular with Iowa corn farmers, as an invitation for improper meddling from Washington.

Cruz insisted, however, that his suggestion that Branstad was protecting cronyism was not meant as a dig at Iowa farmers.

“I’m saying Iowa corn farmers are wonderful Americans, but Iowa corn farmers are not career politicians,” he said, taking another poke at Branstad. “Iowa corn farmers are frustrated with career politicians. They’re fed up with politicians who make deals every day to grow government, to expand the debt.”

Earlier Tuesday, Donald Trump, Cruz’s biggest threat in Iowa, seized on Branstad’s remarks, taunting on Twitter, “Wow, the highly respected Governor of Iowa just stated that ‘Ted Cruz must be defeated.’ Big shoker [sic]! People do not like Ted.”

In the press gaggle, Cruz took a shot at Trump, too.

“If you’re looking for someone who’s a dealmaker, who will capitulate even more to Democrats, who will give in even more to Chuck Schumer and Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi, perhaps Donald Trump is your man,” he said.

Cruz also weighed in on Sarah Palin's endorsement of Trump, walking back an aide's warning that the move could be "a blow" to her credibility with conservatives.

“I love Sarah Palin," he said. "Sarah Palin is fantastic. Without her friendship and support, I wouldn’t be in the Senate today. So regardless of what Sarah decides to do in 2016, I will always remain a big big fan."

Bob Vander Plaats, an influential Iowa conservative who has endorsed Cruz, called Branstad's comments "ridiculous" and panned the governor as "a big-government establishment guy.”

Branstad, he said, had "sold out to big government and sold out to his son as a hired gun — that’s why he did what he did today.”

The governor's move threatens the integrity of the Iowa caucuses, Vander Plaats added. “Any time you have the governor of Iowa who pledges neutrality and then he comes out and says I’m going to try to stop this candidate at all costs and my son is working against him, that has bad optics no matter which way you look at it.”

Ben Schreckinger contributed.