Debates are Ted Cruz's time to shine — and with a reputation of "exhaustive preparation" that dates back to his Princeton days, Cruz knows how to keep the moderators and competition right where he wants them, Politico reports.
"He'll get up, give a speech and ignore everything you just said. When you lose to someone who does that, you want to lose your mind. It's like, you won all the arguments, he just gave that big speech," Andrew Cohen, who debated against Cruz several times, said.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
On the day of a debate itself, Cruz aides say, the senator simply wants to decompress with his wife, Heidi, and his two young daughters. He reads the Bible, they say, but also plays games on his iPhone.The current rotation includes "Plants vs. Zombies 2" and "Tower Madness 2." [Politico]
Ted Cruz will be sharing center stage with Donald Trump in North Charleston, South Carolina, beginning at 9 p.m. Eastern on Fox Business News; the debate will be the last chance candidates have to prove their worth before the Iowa caucuses on Feb. 1.
-
Pakistan: Trump’s ‘favourite field marshal’ takes chargeIn the Spotlight Asim Munir’s control over all three branches of Pakistan’s military gives him ‘sweeping powers’ – and almost unlimited freedom to use them
-
Codeword: December 6, 2025The daily codeword puzzle from The Week
-
Sudoku hard: December 6, 2025The daily hard sudoku puzzle from The Week
-
Trump tightens restrictions for work visasSpeed Read The length of work permits for asylum seekers and refugees has been shortened from five years to 18 months
-
Supreme Court revives Texas GOP gerrymanderSpeed Read Texas Republicans can use the congressional map they approved in August at President Donald Trump’s behest
-
Boat strike footage rattles some lawmakersSpeed Read ‘Disturbing’ footage of the Sept. 2 attack on an alleged drug-trafficking boat also shows the second strike that killed two survivors who were clinging to the wreckage
-
Trump boosts gas cars in fuel economy rollbackspeed read Watering down fuel efficiency standards is another blow to former President Biden’s effort to boost electric vehicles
-
Hegseth’s Signal chat put troops in peril, probe findsSpeed Read The defense secretary risked the lives of military personnel and violated Pentagon rules, says new report
-
Trump pardons Texas Democratic congressmanspeed read Rep. Henry Cuellar was charged with accepting foreign bribes tied to Azerbaijan and Mexico
-
GOP wins tight House race in red Tennessee districtSpeed Read Republicans maintained their advantage in the House
-
Trump targets ‘garbage’ Somalis ahead of ICE raidsSpeed Read The Department of Homeland Security will launch an immigration operation targeting Somali immigrants in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area
