Ted Cruz thinks Chris Christie is the Rudy Giuliani of 2016

(Image credit: Jessica Kourkounis/Getty Images)

last updated 8 January 2015

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) isn't too worried about New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R), even though the two politicians could run against each other for president in 2016. The reason: He thinks Christie is a pushover whose moderate appeal makes him akin to ex-New York mayor Rudy Giuliani, who famously flamed out in the 2008 GOP primaries.

Seeking to expand his base of support beyond tea party conservatives, Cruz, who has been working donors and elites aggressively, has routinely dismissed New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie in private conversations as the "Rudy Giuliani of this cycle," multiple sources told Politico. (A Cruz adviser noted that the senator has often praised Christie.) [Politico]

Giuliani's strategy was essentially to ignore the early conservative contests in favor bigger, more moderate states with later primaries. But after posting big leads in early polls of the 2008 horse race, his support imploded, and he withdrew from the race.

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Jon Terbush is an associate editor at TheWeek.com covering politics, sports, and other things he finds interesting. He has previously written for Talking Points Memo, Raw Story, and Business Insider.