Cruz fights for Super Tuesday votes in Texas

DALLAS, TX (KTRK) -- Ted Cruz is as energetic as he's been on the campaign trail.

Monday morning in Dallas he urged the crowd to vote and bring friends on Tuesday.

"Tomorrow, Super Tuesday," he told reporters after the rally just south of downtown Dallas, "is the decision point to continue to unite here in Texas and all across Super Tuesday behind a strong, consistent, proven conservative."

It is the decision point. Cruz has said from the start of the campaign that the 11 state Super Tuesday primary would define his run. Of course, he didn't count on Donald Trump stealing so much of his thunder and gobbling up delegates.

"At the end of tomorrow, Donald Trump is likely going to have a big chunk of delegates," said Cruz. "And we are, I believe, going to have a big chunk of delegates. And I think everyone else will be way, way, way, behind."

That is his hope. As it is that of those who want to see Cruz win.

"I am tired of the deal makers in Washington because I think it's the little people who are getting screwed with all the deals. We need somebody who is not going to make any more deals," said Cruz supporter Paul Anderson.

Anderson thinks Cruz is the only candidate who can beat Trump. Rich Deotte, another supporter at the Dallas rally, thinks the same way.

"I think he's really consistent in his conservatism," said Deotte. "I think he tells the truth. And mainly I think he's the one guy that can beat Donald Trump right now."

As Super Tuesday draws to within hours and Ted Cruz makes his case to fellow Texans, it seems the race is as much about voting for Cruz as it is against Donald Trump.

"He's supported liberal Democrats," argued the first term Texas Senator. "Donald Trump funded the gang of eight amnesty effort. He's funded open border democrats his entire life."

Cruz's surrogates, former Gov. Rick Perry and Governor Greg Abbott, both make the case against Trump when they spoke.

Cruz's wife Heidi Cruz, campaigning in Texas over the weekend, offered a thinly veiled argument too.

"We can be flexible as people," she said. "But we can't be flexible on principle. And I hope voters are able to see who is telling the truth and who is not."

The Cruz campaign would love to find more people like Curtis Klutts. He was a Trump supporter and flipped.

"My mind has changed because I am a constitutional conservative and Donald Trump's message has changed over the last month or so," said Klutts. He voted early and cast his ballot for Cruz.

Cruz's campaign won't quantify what makes Super Tuesday successful -- or not -- but Cruz says a win is a win is a win.

"I think we're going to have a very, very good day in Texas, and if you look nationally," said Cruz, "we are neck-and-neck with Donald Trump in Super Tuesday states all over the country."