Cruz Evokes Perry, Forgets an Agency He Would Cut

Did Ted Cruz have a Rick Perry moment in Tuesday's presidential debate?

USA Today noticed that Cruz said he would cut five agencies as president, then only named four.

"The IRS, Energy, Commerce, Housing and Urban Development and Commerce," Cruz said.

He mentioned Commerce twice and left one out.

But Cruz's oversight went right by and wasn't detected by those in or running the debate. Four years ago, then-Texas Gov. Rick Perry set out to list the three agencies he'd eliminate.

He listed two, then struggled to remember the third.

"Oops," he said, leading to the beginning of the end of his campaign.

Pollster Frank Luntz said his focus group noticed:

Ted Cruz just had a Rick Perry moment. Dials dropped 20 points instantly – don't promise specifics and then forget them. #GOPDebate

— Frank Luntz (@FrankLuntz) November 11, 2015

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