In US presidential race, Trump confronts rising rival Cruz

The US presidential nominations battle kicks off February 1 in Iowa. Donald Trump leads the Republican race nationally, but in the heartland state, he risks being eclipsed by Senator Ted Cruz, whose rise is bedeviling the billionaire.

Gone is the conviviality between the two candidates atop the Republican field vying to take the White House in the 2016 election.

Trump has dug deep into his file on the Texas senator to wield his latest political weapon: Cruz's birth in Canada 45 years ago, and questions about his rival's eligibility for the presidency.

In an interview Tuesday with the Washington Post, Trump appeared to jump at the chance to revive the issue -- and perhaps throw Cruz off his game.

"Republicans are going to have to ask themselves the question: 'Do we want a candidate who could be tied up in court for two years?' That'd be a big problem," said the 69-year-old Trump.

"I'd hate to see something like that get in his way. But a lot of people are talking about it," he added.

Cruz declined to take the bait. Pressed on the matter Wednesday on the campaign trail, he expressed confidence that the legal matter has been settled.
"People will continue to make political noise about it, but as a legal matter it's quite straightforward," he told reporters.

The US Constitution establishes three criteria for presidential eligibility: he or she must be age 35 or older, have resided in the United States for at least 14 years, and be a "natural born citizen."

That last clause was left ambiguous, although it excludes naturalized Americans.

Several experts believe that Cruz, born in Calgary to an American mother and Cuban father, meets the standard of a natural born US citizen.

Cruz cited the precedent of 2008 Republican nominee John McCain, who was born in the Panama Canal Zone, and 1964 standard-bearer Barry Goldwater, born in Arizona before it became a US state.

Anticipating possible controversy, Cruz renounced his Canadian citizenship in 2014.

Trump and Cruz have sized each other up for months. They occupy the same political lane, portraying themselves as Washington outsiders opposed to the establishment.

Cruz, elected in 2012 with support from the grass-roots Tea Party movement, leads Congress's rebellious wing, perpetually accusing his own party's leaders of being too accommodating to President Barack Obama.

To date, Cruz has hesitated to clash with Trump, even when the real estate tycoon faced a barrage of criticism from many in his party for his anti-Muslim remarks.

In return, during a party debate in December, Trump praised the senator's "wonderful temperament."

- Iowa: First test -

Cruz has nudged ahead in Iowa among Republican voters, earning 31 percent support versus Trump's 27 percent, according to the RealClearPolitics poll average.
It is far from a decisive lead, but enough to trigger Trump's exasperation. Cruz, a steadfast advocate of religious freedom, is a better logical fit for many evangelical conservatives in Iowa.

The results of the Iowa caucuses are famously unpredictable. Participation is low, about 20 percent, and most voters settle on their candidate in the final days.

The winners of the previous two caucuses, Mike Huckabee in 2008 and Rick Santorum in 2012, ultimately fell by the wayside.

For Trump, a defeat in Iowa would dent his image as the undisputed Republican leader.

"I'd love to win Iowa. To me, Iowa is very important," he told The Hill.

Twelve Republicans remain in the race. Behind Trump and Cruz are Senator Marco Rubio; retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson; New Jersey Governor Chris Christie; and Jeb Bush, son and brother of two presidents.

The Democratic race is effectively between favorite Hillary Clinton, 68, and independent Senator Bernie Sanders, 74. Former Maryland governor Martin O'Malley trails in third and is seeking an Iowa miracle.

Clinton finished third in Iowa in 2008, behind Obama and John Edwards. Today she stands at 50 percent in Iowa polls, 13 points ahead of Sanders.

Her campaign is nonetheless investing considerable time and funds in the Hawkeye State, aware that a poor showing there would mark a terrible start to the year.

She has barnstormed Iowa, hosting 69 events over 35 days there, the Des Moines Register said.

"I know that if I get off to a good start here in Iowa, we're halfway home," Clinton said Monday in Davenport.
Source: AFP