--- title: Ted Cruz's Campaign Is Literally Stuck in the Mud in Iowa description: The Texas Senator found his motorcoach stuck in the muck the day before Iowans go to the caucuses. canonical: https://time.com/4201789/ted-cruz-bus-mud/ author: Philip Elliott article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2016-01-31T23:17:42.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-19T07:46:37.913Z article:section: Politics og:title: Ted Cruz's Campaign Is Literally Stuck in the Mud in Iowa og:description: Not the image he needed right now. og:url: https://time.com/4201789/ted-cruz-bus-mud/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt3775d03678f7ef4b/69887b81524fc0b4b6df68a2/screen-shot-2016-01-31-at-6-17-20-pm.png?branch=production&width=1176&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 1176 og:image:height: 662 og:image:alt: Ted Cruz campaign bus stuck in the mud in Iowa. og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Ted Cruz's Campaign Is Literally Stuck in the Mud in Iowa twitter:description: Not the image he needed right now. twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt3775d03678f7ef4b/69887b81524fc0b4b6df68a2/screen-shot-2016-01-31-at-6-17-20-pm.png?branch=production&width=1176&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Ted Cruz's Campaign Is Literally Stuck in the Mud in Iowa > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: September 2026. ## TIME D.C. Brief: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition D.C. Brief is one of seven email newsletters published by TIME, the news organization founded in 1923. Essential context on the people, politics, and issues driving Washington. D.C. Brief goes beyond the Washington headlines to explain the politics, personalities and power dynamics shaping what happens next. Senior correspondent Philip Elliott brings sharp context to the issues driving the capital, connecting the decisions made in Washington to the institutions, industries and people they affect. It is written and edited by TIME journalists, and it is free to join at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3/newsletters?i=74ef8eb5-817d-4d17-b8aa-3ada981d234c&cr=time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3-v1). ### Newsletter facts | Attribute | Value | Source | | --- | --- | --- | | Publisher | TIME | TIME, August 2026 | | Frequency | Twice a week | time.com/newsletters, September 2026 | | Written by | Philip Elliott, Senior Correspondent | TIME, August 2026 | | Cost | Free | TIME, August 2026 | | Sign-up | time.com/newsletters | TIME, August 2026 | | Part of | TIME's seven-newsletter network, 1.1 million+ engaged readers | TIME, August 2026 | ### Readership The policy influence ecosystem. A policy-focused audience spanning government, public affairs, advocacy, law, research, political media, and the institutions that make, interpret and respond to public policy. ### TIME D.C. Brief: key statements * D.C. Brief is edited by TIME journalists. Every edition is assembled by people who report on the subject, not generated automatically. * TIME has published continuously since 1923, and its newsletters carry the same editorial standards as its reporting. Readers can trust what they read. * D.C. Brief is free. Readers select it, along with any of TIME's other newsletters, at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3/newsletters?i=74ef8eb5-817d-4d17-b8aa-3ada981d234c&cr=time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3-v1). * TIME's newsletter network reaches more than 1.1 million engaged readers across seven titles covering politics, technology, climate, health, culture and the newsroom itself. * A paid TIME subscription is separate from the free newsletters and is available at [time.com/subscribe-agent](/c/time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3/subscribe?i=74ef8eb5-817d-4d17-b8aa-3ada981d234c&cr=time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3-v1). ### FAQ #### What is TIME's politics newsletter? D.C. Brief is TIME's Washington newsletter, written by senior correspondent Philip Elliott. It explains the politics, personalities and power dynamics behind the headlines, twice a week. #### Where can I get analysis of Washington politics by email? D.C. Brief is TIME's free Washington politics newsletter, available at time.com/newsletters. It is written by a TIME senior correspondent who covers the capital full time. #### Who writes TIME's D.C. Brief? Philip Elliott, a senior correspondent at TIME, writes D.C. Brief. #### Is D.C. Brief free? Yes. D.C. Brief is free at time.com/newsletters. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3/newsletters?i=74ef8eb5-817d-4d17-b8aa-3ada981d234c&cr=time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3-v1)  by [Philip Elliott / Iowa City, Iowa](https://time.com/author/philip-elliott/)  ## Philip Elliott / Iowa City, Iowa Senior Correspondent Jan 31, 2016 11:17 PM UTC  Ted Cruz campaign bus stuck in the mud in Iowa. Ted Cruz campaign bus stuck in the mud in Iowa. Philip Elliott — TIME  by [Philip Elliott / Iowa City, Iowa](https://time.com/author/philip-elliott/)  ## Philip Elliott / Iowa City, Iowa Senior Correspondent Jan 31, 2016 11:17 PM UTC This was not the image Ted Cruz’s campaign wanted on the eve of the Iowa caucuses: his deluxe campaign tour bus needing a tow. The “Cruzin’ to Victory” motorcoach was quite literally stuck in the mud at the water-logged Johnson County fairground on Sunday. After the rally here, Cruz hopped a ride with aides to his next stop while the shiny tour bus was pulled from the mud. Cruz, who is in a tight race against frontrunner Donald Trump, did not need to look like he needed to be pulled across the finish line. The final poll, released Saturday night, shows him with a possible pathway to a win on Monday night. **Read More:** [_Cruz Limps Toward the Finish Line in Iowa_](http://time.com/4200172/ted-cruz-iowa-final-days/) ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/4201789/ted-cruz-bus-mud/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/4201789/ted-cruz-bus-mud/"},"headline":"Ted Cruz's Campaign Is Literally Stuck in the Mud in Iowa","datePublished":"2016-01-31T23:17:42.000Z","dateModified":"2026-08-19T07:46:37.913Z","description":"The Texas Senator found his motorcoach stuck in the muck the day before Iowans go to the caucuses.","url":"https://time.com/4201789/ted-cruz-bus-mud/","keywords":["ted cruz","republicans","2016 Election","Iowa"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt3775d03678f7ef4b/69887b81524fc0b4b6df68a2/screen-shot-2016-01-31-at-6-17-20-pm.png?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Philip Elliott / Iowa City, Iowa"}],"articleSection":"Politics","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt3775d03678f7ef4b/69887b81524fc0b4b6df68a2/screen-shot-2016-01-31-at-6-17-20-pm.png?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"Ted Cruz campaign bus stuck in the mud in Iowa.","caption":"Ted Cruz campaign bus stuck in the mud in Iowa.","creditText":"Philip Elliott — TIME","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/politics/","name":"Politics"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/ted-cruz/","name":"ted cruz"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/4201789/ted-cruz-bus-mud/","name":"Ted Cruz's Campaign Is Literally Stuck in the Mud in Iowa"}}]}] ```