Ted Cruz: Chris Christie Is the Rudy Giuliani of 2016

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie talks with reporters at the National Governors Association convention Saturday, July 12, 2014, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo | Mark Humphrey)

Chris Christie’s desire to run for president in 2016 seems pretty clear at this point, as is the desire of his GOP rivals to take him down a notch.

Ted Cruz, the Texas senator who also figures to be a contender for the GOP nomination, provided just the assessment to do that this week. Politico reports: “Seeking to expand his base of support beyond tea partiers, Cruz, who has been working donors and elites aggressively, has routinely dismissed New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie in private conversations as the ‘Rudy Giuliani of this cycle,’ multiple sources told POLITICO.”

Giuliani was, famously, a tough-talking northeastern Republican beloved for his pointed rhetoric but otherwise little loved by the conservative base of the GOP for his moderate positions — a mix that ended with Giuliani’s 2008 bid for the presidency with precious few primary votes to show for it. We’ll let readers decide if the comparison seems valid.