Ted Cruz has a new nickname for GOP frontrunner Donald Trump. Cruz, who Trump calls "Lying Ted," says Tump is "Ducking Donald," for refusing to take part in the Fox New debate that had been planned for Monday, March 21.
#DuckingDonald can't duck us for the rest of this campaign: https://t.co/AXlu1rFQSO https://t.co/GNaqlMJFL7 pic.twitter.com/QJEDIKD55d
-- Team Cruz (@TeamTedCruz) March 16, 2016
The Cruz campaign has purchased the web domain DuckingDonald.com, which is directed to a Cruz fundraising page.
Cruz also appreard on Fox News to attack Trump for ducking the debate.
Trump responds:
Crazy @megynkelly supposedly had lyin' Ted Cruz on her show last night. Ted is desperate and his lying is getting worse. Ted can't win!
-- Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 17, 2016
Great news that @FoxNews has cancelled the additional debate. How many times can the same people ask the same question? I beat Cruz debating
-- Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 17, 2016
"Let's be intellectually honest about what's going on here - Donald Trump is scared to debate Ted Cruz next week," Cruz Spokesman Ron Nehring said in a statement Wednesday. "Perhaps Mr. Trump is unable to speak for more than one minute about any given topic because of his shallow understanding of basic policies, or perhaps he is scared of voters learning the truth - that he has spent his entire adult life promoting liberal positions completely opposite of the conservative platform that he has campaigned on."
The Republican field has narrowed to just three men -- Trump, Cruz and John Kasich -- with Marco Rubio's withdrawal after being trounced by Trump in Florida.
Trump announced Wednesday that instead of debating Monday, he has accepted an invitation to speak to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) conference in Washington, D.C., that night.
Cruz strategists who developed the "Ducking Donald" attack might want to review the history of candidates who've tried to make fun of Trump as a way of winning support. It didn't work well for Marco Rubio or Jeb Bush.
@LeadStoriesCom @Have2SeeThis @tedcruz @realDonaldTrump How did that work for Little Marco and Little Jeb! pic.twitter.com/Ciwy3SYjsr
-- Arlingtonguy (@Paleoturkey) March 17, 2016
See also: Trump Dumps Debates: Fox News Event Canceled!
With no debate to attend, Cruz will himself address AIPAC Monday, his spokesman said. "Mr. Trump, if you won't debate in Utah, we'll bring the debate to you."
"Donald can't duck us for the rest of this campaign, and so we will happily press the issue until the public pressure becomes too much for him to bear," Nehring said. "Anytime, anyplace...let's do it, Donald."
