Frank Cannon is president of the American Principles Project and a respected conservative political strategist with over 30 years of experience.

I think [the debate] is a pivotal moment for Ted Cruz.  I think Cruz has positioned himself well, but he hasn’t connected in the debates yet in a way that propels his candidacy forward.  I think that he has credibility as an outsider, and he is somebody who has shown the ability to take on Washington.  Now he has to convince the American people that he’s better able to do this than some of the candidates who rhetorically have done a better job, like Trump.