Cruz Control

Looks like South Carolina's weird allure for the weird is leading to some chafing on the Far, Far Right:

Sen. Rand Paul’s chief of staff called South Carolina’s Republican chairman earlier this month to express disappointment that the state party invited freshman sensation Sen. Ted Cruz to speak at its marquee fundraising dinner rather than the Kentuckian.

Doug Stafford, Paul’s top aide, told Chad Connelly, the South Carolina GOP chief, that Paul’s team had hoped to attend high-profile state party dinners in each of the traditional early states this spring, three sources familiar with the call told POLITICO.

...Another South Carolina Republican was blunter.

“They might have gotten a little greedy,” said this GOP operative. “South Carolina is not a place where you can come in and dictate anything.”