Le relazioni fra Donald Trump e Ted Cruz erano stati cordiali dall'inizio della campagna elettorale statunitense, il miliardario aveva riservato i suoi attacchi al senatore Marco Rubio, al neurochirurgo in pensione Ben Carson, all'ex governatore della Florida Jeb Bush e a quello del New Jersey Chris Christie. Ma la tregua è stata rotta in South Carolina nel sesto dibattito fra i candidati all'investitura repubblicana: l'ultra-conservatore senatore texano ha attaccato i "valori newyorchesi" del magnate dell'immobiliare, che viene da una città "favorevole all'aborto e ai matrimoni gay", mentre Trump ha replicato difendendo la città e mettendo in dubbio il diritto di Cruz (nato in Canada) ad aspirare alla Casa Bianca.
"Donald è turbato dal vedere le sue quotazioni in ribasso nell'Iowa", è tornato alla carica Cruz, che ha offerto al rivale la vicepresidenza, proposta sdegnosamente rifiutata. Fra i sette partecipanti alla contesa, c'è accordo su un solo punto: le critiche alla democratica Hillary Clinton, che dal canto suo ha ironizzato su Twitter sui contenuti del dibattito.
Nell'attesa del verdetto delle urne delle primarie, i sondaggi a livello nazionale danno ancora Trump in netto vantaggio: 33% di intenzioni di voto, contro il 20% di Cruz e il 13% di Rubio.
pon/ATS
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