Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump has attracted controversy throughout his campaign for making straightforward remarks against Muslims, immigrants, women and other sectors. This has led some of his own party mates to rally behind his closest rival in the GOP nomination, Texas Senator Ted Cruz.
Some political commentators, however, have warned that Cruz, who has so far garnered 465 delegates compared to Trump's 739, is an even scarier presidential candidate compared to the controversial business tycoon.
In an article on RawStory.com, American religious historian and editor Randall Stephens explained how Cruz is not much as a better choice than Trump. He echoed the comparison made on Comedy Central's Daily to choosing between Trump and Cruz as something like "picking between getting a blood clot or bone cancer."
Stephens pointed out that Cruz has a "zealous anti-government ideology" which makes it dangerous for him to be a step away to the presidency.
"Cruz is the most rock-ribbed, deep-right candidate ever to have a strong national showing in a modern U.S. presidential race. By many measures, he's a far more frightening candidate than unpredictable, truth-averse, race-baiting vulgarian Donald Trump," the historian said on RawStory.com.
Stephens further said Cruz has left nothing but a "trail of devastation" since his stint as a senator began in 2013. The political commentator particularly noted how Cruz led the federal government shutdown more than three years ago in an effort to oppose U.S. President Barack Obama's healthcare programme and spending plan.
In a separate article on Salon.com, former U.S. secretary of labor and political analyst Robert Reich listed down why he thinks Cruz will be a "larger disaster" as a Republican presidential nominee compared to Trump.
The ex-government official said Cruz is even "more fanatical" than Trump.
"Sure, Trump is a bully and bigot, but he doesn't hew to any sharp ideological line. Cruz is a fierce ideologue: He denies the existence of man-made climate change, rejects same-sex marriage, wants to abolish the Internal Revenue Service, believes the 2nd Amendment guarantees everyone a right to guns," Reich said in his commentary.
He also pointed out how the Texas senator "has spent much of his life embracing radical right economic and political views."
