Why this evangelical pastor is not supporting Ted Cruz

First and foremost, I must be clear that I do not speak for my church, Cornerstone Church in Myrtle Beach. Though I love politics and watch speeches and returns on election night and throughout the year like others watch playoff games, my position generally is that politicians are generally the same regardless of party affiliation.

Case in point, look at the growth of the government under President George W. Bush, as well as the growth of the drone strikes under President Obama. Each party dances to the other’s tune, though they want to pretend it’s a totally different song playing.

Which brings me to Ted Cruz, or more specifically those of my fellow evangelicals who support Senator Cruz. I would ask that you consider the following of our “brother.”

1. He sends out violation notices to residents of Iowa, making them believe they have broken the law somehow and need to get out and vote. It tells the recipient that it’s been sent due to expected low turnout and then gives them a grade of their voting record. It is an underhanded, dishonest, slimy tactic to which Cruz said he “won’t apologize for using every tool we can to encourage Iowa voters to vote.” He also said it was a normal tactic.

This might be normal in the world of politics in Cruz’ world but it is not what one would expect from a candidate who holds his faith in Christ as his calling card; a candidate whose first words were “to God be the glory” after winning the election he used these tactics in.

2. He lies about Ben Carson. During the caucus day in Iowa it was leaked from the Cruz campaign that Ben Carson was going home after the caucus and would be taking some time off. I personally heard the report on one of the news stations and the reporter said, “if someone wants to be President they do not take time off.” To which I agreed, and I even told my wife that Carson must be getting out.

The problem with all of this is it was not true. Cruz used this tactic to sway people who would have voted for Carson over to his candidacy. Of course a person who was for Carson would think they might as well vote for Cruz as he has the same values and Carson is getting out.

Cruz issued a sort of apology saying his campaign forgot to send out the second part of the memo saying this information was not substantiated. Hardly an apology and certainly a sign that Cruz believes his followers are ignorant, non-thinking kool-aid drinkers of the Cruz cult.

I write this not to get you to vote for a particular candidate, but to get you to stop and think. If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, sounds like a duck, it is a duck. To be totally transparent, I like Donald Trump, and before these events would have picked Cruz as my second. But now it’s Trump without a clear second choice.

With Trump it is what it is. He does not pretend to be something he is not, in spite of what the media says about him. He stands up to his past position and is honest about what he believes moving forward. And a great indicator to me of a man, is his family. And when I see his family and their love and devotion for their father, I learn all I need to know about the character of the man. Certainly a sinner, certainly flawed as all human beings are, but a man I believe is the answer for our time, with Reagan-type qualities.

But that is not the point of my letter. I reveal that to be honest about who I am supporting, with all the introductory caveats. My point is you have a man who calls Christ his savior and uses all the right words and phrases to maintain support from the evangelical camp, all the while using every dirty slimy “tactic” in the book. Tactics that if not used would probably mean Trump wins Iowa. We are told we will know people by their fruit, and Cruz’s fruit is looking and smelling pretty rotten!

This story was originally published February 8, 2016 at 7:42 AM with the headline "Why this evangelical pastor is not supporting Ted Cruz."