[mc_name name=’Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX)’ chamber=’senate’ mcid=’C001098′ ] is on the move in Iowa. He’s crossed the 20 point mark in four straight polls and when you take into account the noise inherent in polling, he’s basically even with Donald Trump in Iowa at this point.

That’s important because it could mark a permanent change in how Republican Presidential candidates address the state.

Back in 2008, [mc_name name=’Sen. John McCain (R-AZ)’ chamber=’senate’ mcid=’M000303′ ] skipped Iowa completely because he was unwilling to bend on his opposition to ethanol subsidies, and he believed it would prevent him from winning the state. But [mc_name name=’Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX)’ chamber=’senate’ mcid=’C001098′ ] has come out against the Renewable Fuel Standard, a corn subsidy by regulation. And now he’s on track possibly to win Iowa.

Just as Erick Erickson killed the Iowa straw poll, we may be seeing [mc_name name=’Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX)’ chamber=’senate’ mcid=’C001098′ ] killing the stranglehold cronyism has had on Iowa. I agree with Liz Mair’s closing words:

But whatever one’s specific read on the situation, if you are a true economic and fiscal conservative, the news out of Iowa, for now at least, appears to be good. At present, there is visible daylight between the Hawkeye State and its caricature. And there’s good reason to think that Iowans may be the first to take a decisive step to shut down a man viewed by many as a conservative impostor [Trump].

So, for now, anyway, three cheers for Iowa. May the trend of Cruz and other true conservatives rising and Trump falling continue.