Top Links: Ted Cruz, ‘Children of Reagan’ vs. the adults who actually remember the 40th president

Top story: Cruz was back at the New York State GOP’s annual dinner, full of conservative platitudes — and more straw men attacks against fellow Republicans.

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• Ted Cruz has looked into his crystal ball and sees only himself as the future of the Republican Party. (Business Insider)

• And he sees his fellow Tea Party senators — like Rand Paul and Marco Rubio — as the Children of the Corn “Children of Reagan.” (Political Wire)

• Cruz thinks his party needs to be the party of the 47%. (The Stalwart)

• Cruz, anti-immigration reform? Heavens, no! He’s just a master salesman. (The Atlantic)

• The Huffington Post previously has spoken to other GOP senators — and even some very conservative are tiring of the antics of Cruz & Co. (The Huffington Post)

• And don’t expect this GOP Senate civil war to end any time soon. (The Fix)

• In fact, it might be wise to remember that for all the positive talk about Cruz and all the negative talk about Mitt Romney, Cruz ran slightly behind Romney in Texas. (Andrew Stiles)

• One of the Cruz’ & Co.’s points is that we should never raise the debt limit again. However: “We are all supposed to pretend the debt limit gives Republicans leverage, anyway, even though we know it is a foregone conclusion that they will agree to raise it in the end.” (The Plum Line)