Billionaire Donald Trump on Friday went on the offensive against U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, putting an end to the most closely watched alliance in the GOP race for the White House.
Speaking in Iowa, Trump launched his first attack on Cruz by zeroing in on the senator's opposition to ethanol standards, an issue dear to Iowan hearts.
"He’s got to come a long way because he’s right now for the oil," Trump said at a rally in Des Moines. "I understand it. Oil pays him a lot of money. He’s got to be for oil, right? The oil companies give him a lot of money, but I’m with you.”
Later in the rally, Trump suggested Cruz's stance on ethanol subsidies could be a stumbling block in the first-in-the-country caucus state, where the senator has been rising in the polls.
"If Ted Cruz is against ethanol, how does he win in Iowa? Because that’s very anti-Iowa," Trump said.
Trump's criticism of Cruz on ethanol echoes that of America's Renewable Future, an advocacy group in Iowa that has been hammering Cruz for his opposition to the Renewable Fuel Standard. Cruz's campaign has countered that he opposes all energy subsidies, not just those that favor ethanol producers but also ones that benefit the oil industry.
texas tribune
