Shakeup In Iowa - Sen. Ted Cruz Surges 21 Points

Texas Sen. Ted Cruz

Texas Sen. Ted Cruz has surged an impressive 21 points in the latest The Des Moines Register/Bloomberg Politics Iowa Poll, leaving real estate mogul Donald Trump ten points back in second place.

Sen. Ted Cruz - 31%
Donald Trump - 21%
Dr. Ben Carson - 13%
Sen. Marco Rubio - 10%
Jeb Bush - 6%

After those five, it really doesn't matter much, does it?

From the Des Moines Register:

"Big shakeup," said J. Ann Selzer, pollster for The Des Moines Register/Bloomberg Politics Iowa Poll. "This is a sudden move into a commanding position for Cruz."

And there are signs Cruz may not have peaked in Iowa yet. Another 20 percent of likely caucusgoers say he's their current second choice for president. Cruz hits 51 percent support when first- and second-choice interest is combined, again leading the field.

With Cruz's popularity and his debate proficiency, "it's certainly possible that he could win Iowa big — very big," said Frank Luntz, a Nevada-based GOP focus group guru who follows the Iowa race closely.

In an interview on Fox News Sunday, Donald Trump wasted no time tearing into Ted Cruz:

"I don't think he's got the right temperament. I don't think he's got the right judgment."

"You look at the way that he's dealt with the Senate, where he goes in there, frankly like a little bit of a maniac. You're never going to get things done that way."

"You can't walk into the Senate and scream and call people liars and not be able to cajole and get along with people," Trump said.