Armand V. Cucciniello III

Judging by the collective Republican sigh of relief after Ted Cruz swept the Wisconsin primary and put the brakes on the Donald Trump juggernaut, many in the party seem to consider Cruz a “viable alternative” to Trump. But that view is nothing short of baffling.

Despite his Ivy League education, pastor-like polished oratory and apparent voter appeal, Cruz seems to know how to do only one thing in government, and that is to say, “No.”

Love him or hate him, Trump knows how to make a deal. Sure, some ventures were a flop — something not uncommon for lifelong entrepreneurs. But his net worth, to the tune of $4.5 billion according to Forbes, is not exactly indicative of a dummy. His blustering speech and non-conformist policy proposals make him an unorthodox fit for the GOP nomination, but that is no reason to gravitate towards Cruz. In fact, it is a sign of shortsightedness and desperation.

Rafael Cruz, Ted’s father, recently said in an interview, “We need to get to the point where, instead of listening to the rhetoric, we look to the record. Candidates will say what people want to hear. We look at what they do and what they have done.”

Heeding the elder Cruz’s call is in no way redeeming for the junior senator from Texas. He has systematically demonstrated that he lacks the ability to negotiate, govern according to the rule of law, and navigate amicably through differences of opinion.

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Cruz famously spearheaded the 2013 federal government shutdown that cost the economy $24 billion and taxpayers $2 billion. He brazenly supported Kim Davis, the Kentucky county clerk who was jailed for refusing to issue same-sex marriage licenses as required by the Supreme Court. He has also said people would “quite rightly” revolt if a brokered GOP convention in Cleveland were to produce a nominee other than him or Trump.

In the Senate, Cruz has personified the word “obstructionism” since he took office in 2013. His first vote was “nay” on the Disaster Relief Appropriations Act — a bill authorizing $60 billion for relief agencies that would in part provide much-needed federal funds for New Jersey after Hurricane Sandy. Later that year, Cruz voted against key bills such as the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act; the Border Security, Economic Opportunity and Immigration Modernization Act; the Employment Non-Discrimination Act; and the Agriculture Reform, Food and Jobs Act. (All passed the Senate without his vote).

Cruz also voted against renewing the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act last December. The act, which passed and became law, finances health care programs through 2090 for more than 72,000 first responders and survivors from around the country who went to the three 9/11 crash sites. Cruz’s “nay” vote on the emotionally charged issue will very likely hurt his chances in the New York primary on April 19 as well as the New Jersey primary on June 7.

As for reaching across the aisle, an analysis by GovTrack.us found that in 2015, only 7% of the bills Cruz introduced had co-sponsors of both parties. That was the lowest of any Republican in the Senate.

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Like Trump, Cruz prides himself on his idiosyncrasies and personal brand of political independence. But while critics repeatedly lambaste Trump for failed ventures such as Trump Steaks and Trump Vodka, those are just two of countless projects undertaken by the business mogul. Cruz’s Senate record and reputation show he fails at his full-time job.

The dangers of a Cruz candidacy haven’t exactly been lost on the Republican Party. His cocky personality and inability to “play nice” in the Senate are well-known. As Sen. Lindsey Graham, a onetime 2016 candidate himself, quipped in February, “If you killed Ted Cruz on the floor of the Senate, and the trial was in the Senate, nobody would convict you.” (Just three weeks later and exhibiting a full-blown case of “Trump Derangement Syndrome,” Graham announced he’d be backing Cruz’s bid for the nomination.)

Sen. Marco Rubio, another former contender, said shortly before dropping out of the nomination race that Trump is “pulling the ultimate con job on the American people.” But when you look at what Cruz would bring to the presidency, who is really “pulling the ultimate con job” on voters?

Armand V. Cucciniello III is a former senior press officer for the Department of State and served as an adviser to the U.S. military in Iraq and Pakistan. Follow him on Twitter @ArmandVC3.

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