The Republican Party would suffer "cataclysmic" and "wholesale losses" if Texas Sen. Ted Cruz wins the GOP presidential nomination, former Sen. Bob Dole tells
The New York Times.
In fact, Dole said, businessman Donald Trump would fare much better in the general election.
"I question his allegiance to the party," Dole said of Cruz. "I don’t know how often you’ve heard him say the word 'Republican' — not very often."
Cruz instead prefers the word "conservative," Dole said.
Another problem Dole has with Cruz: "I don’t know how he’s going to deal with Congress. Nobody likes him."
Trump could "probably work with Congress, because he’s, you know, he's got the right personality and he's kind of a deal-maker," Dole said.
A Cruz nomination would hurt the party downticket, said Dole, causing losses in state offices, governorships and state legislatures.
Cruz is giving Trump a run for his money in Iowa, but Dole said Cruz has "convinced the Iowa voters that he’s kind of a mainstream conservative."
Trump is the only person who can prevent Cruz from getting the nomination, Dole said.
"There’ll be wholesale losses if he’s the nominee," he warned of Cruz. "Our party is not that far right."
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