![Mark Halperin: Ted Cruz 'Can Be The Republican Nominee' [VIDEO]](https://images.dailycaller.com/image/width=960,height=411,fit=cover,f=auto/https://cdn01.dailycaller.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/RTR4UID5-1-e1439394251450.jpg "Mark Halperin: Ted Cruz 'Can Be The Republican Nominee' [VIDEO]")
Appearing on “Morning Joe” Wednesday morning, Bloomberg Politics’ Mark Halperin talked up the chances of Texas Sen. Ted Cruz winning the upcoming 2016 GOP primary.
Halperin told host Mika Brzezinski and panelist Mike Barnicle that Cruz “can be the Republican nominee,” breaking with many who have dismissed the first announced GOP candidate’s chances to represent the party in the general election.
“[T]his time it’s going to be different. The rules are going to have the window,” Halperin said. “So if Ted Cruz does well in Iowa and South Carolina, he can be the Republican nominee. He’s not a frontrunner, but he’s a strong second-tier candidate if he performs well, he works hard and he’s brilliant. He can do well.”
“He’s going to have to learn to be a broader figure than he is to wear well, because right now he wears it well with his core supporters and his announcement speech was aimed at his core supporters,” Halperin said. “But people grow in the process for running for president and people who underestimate Ted Cruz’s capacity to grow and change would be making a mistake.”
[h/t: Breitbart]