Cruz Relying On Grassroots Volunteers For South Carolina Victory
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GREENVILLE, SC (CBS11) - Not long after the sun came up, volunteers for Ted Cruz gathered outside campaign headquarters in Greenville to figure out where they'll be knocking on doors.
Among them, Ron Boyd from Allen, who came to South Carolina on Sunday to help the Texas Senator win. "We're Texans, but we're up here to talk with South Carolinians to share our story, share about our Senator."
Boyd drove to Spartanburg about 30 miles away and saw two residents talking.
While one man supports Cruz, his neighbor says he's debating between Cruz and Florida Senator Marco Rubio.
Boyd tells him, "What you're actually doing by voting for Rubio, you're helping Donald Trump and Donald Trump is the big dog."
There are 15,000 Cruz volunteers from South Carolina alone making calls and block-walking.
Another 600 people came from 38 other states -- including 105 from Texas.
Steve Smith of Flower Mound is one of them. "Just being there in person, eye to eye with people, is having an impact. I can tell it in their face."
Linda Abrams is a political science professor at Bob Jones University and says this is a state Senator Cruz should win out-right. "He really should because these are his people."
Abrams says Donald Trump is attracting a third of evangelicals who believe his ability to turn the country around is the biggest priority. "Evangelicals believe the Bible is very clear that the
Government is to protect, that's its central focus - justice for inhabitants of the country and protection from those who would hurt the country."
She says because there are so many evangelicals in South Carolina, Cruz needs to come in first or second place Saturday night to keep momentum.
But Cruz has said he's in it for the long haul.
As for Ron Boyd of Allen, he hopes his message will seal the deal for Cruz.
"He's my U.S. Senator. I feel like I have a voice in Congress for the very first time."
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