WHEN two brilliant minds twin their thoughts and efforts for an ultimate ambition it could spell danger for the opponents. The results could unfold before our eyes, leaving us with breathless awe, asking the question: How did they pull it off?

David Panton and Ted Cruz have been friends for the last 25 years, they attended one of the most prestigious universities at young ages, 17 and 20, and have since maintained a bond. Ted was like a lightning rod for controversy and a stickler for process and was disliked by many of his classmates until his friendship with the popular and extremely likeable Jamaican.

They became debate partners and roommates for the rest of their time at Princeton and continued when they went to Harvard Law School, winning the North American Championship in 1992 and becoming the top two debaters in the country. They both participated in political studies. Resulting from their close friendship, they became business partners. Cruz has made numerous visits to the island. Panton became Cruz’s best man at his wedding, whilst Cruz became godfather to Panton’s son with Lisa Hanna.

Panton and a deep-rooted lobbyist and consultant in the Republican Party, Maria Strollo Zach who leads a super-PAC called Stand for Principle, were instrumental in convincing Cruz to run for president. Panton’s words in endorsing Cruz to run for President: “America needs a strong principled, leadership that Ted provides; I look forward to supporting him, and am confident he will make a good president.”

Cruz, a couple weeks ago, seemed to be an obscure candidate amongst the group of 16 Republican candidates seeking the prize as the most powerful human being on Earth. But, as the clock ticks, this presidential race has entered the realm of high drama, suspense, and surprise equal to TV’s riveting thriller The Blacklist.

Pollsters, political junkies, columnists, other media practitioners all seem to be revelling in the drama unfolding in the Republican Party’s race for the White House. Cruz had just began to emerge publicly from the gutters of obscurity and, from his good performance in the debate on Wednesday night, could be timed for that occasion to make his run for the wire.

His arguments were solid, his tax proposal of zero tax for wage earners under US$26,000, and increase tax for millionaires resonated among most people. His poll numbers should be moving in the upward direction. A very interesting possibility is the aggregate 50 per cent that Trump and Carson has garnered, which will no doubt be nesting in a favourable anti-establishment candidates’ corner. Cruz is the howling favourite to get a fair percentage of those votes, which may see him getting a big bump in the polls in the next few weeks.

Who is David Panton?

For many, Panton might be best known for his innate love of brilliant beautiful women not falling below the number one in the world or universe in competitive contests. But Panton’s résumé goes way beyond that. His brilliance as a Rhodes Scholar, which he received a doctorate in management studies from Oxford University, the youngest of his undergrad class, and among the youngest holders of a PhD from Oxford. He must be in the top 20 most brilliant Jamaican of all times, maybe not too far for the legendary Monsignor Wilson, who ranked sixth in the world in the 60s for brilliance. At Harvard Law School he became one of two black presidents in the history of Harvard Law Review, the other being President Obama. Panton was vice-president of a venture capital company, Mellon Ventures. Not satisfied with having abundant knowledge, he devoted some time teaching a private equity course once per year at Emory University, said to have the best cancer research hospital in the world.

In 2002, Panton was the first head of G2K (Generation 2000), the brilliant young people’s arm of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP). His brilliance now reminds many of us of Senator Barack Obama; Panton himself a senator in Seaga’s JLP Opposition. Panton seemed by many, including myself, to be perfectly carved and moulded as the future of political leadership in the country. That was not to be; he migrated to Atlanta in 2004.

Now a major playmaker in his friend’s quest for the White House four-year lease, the possibility now exists that one of Jamaica’s brightest sons could be a close friend to the most powerful human being on Earth. For some, it is an indicator of the mettle of the man. Let’s see whether Panton can help his friend to walk the path of a president.

Is there a possibility that David Panton’s close relationship with Cruz could present the country with a real friend in the White House?

Who is Ted Cruz?

Son of a political prisoner of Cuba’s dictator Fulgencio Batista, who migrated to the US as a permanent resident and married an American citizen while living in Canada, his mother gave birth to a son 44 years ago named Ted, a Hispanic and Christian Conservative.

At 33, Cruz became a Texas-appointed state solicitor general, becoming the youngest in American history. Also viewed as one of the top constitutional litigators in the country, in 2010 he was named one of 25 greatest Texas lawyers in the last three decades. He then won the Senate seat in 2012 by beating his Democratic rival by 16 points. He is the first Hispanic-American to serve as US senator. In 2013 he was appointed to four Senate committees and ranking member of two subcommittees — Space, Science and Competitiveness; and Constitution, Civil and Human Rights.

The leading voice that triggered a 16-day government shutdown over the implementation of the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare), he was not liked by members of Congress. He’s the howling favourite for the anti-Washington voters looking for a viable leader.

His run-up

He’s the first candidate to declare his intention to run — March 23, 2015 — getting weeks of positive publicity. Cruz admits he is a social conservative; his message fits ideally with the public feelings: “Washington is broken and they don’t get the message.”

He has superb campaign strategy, refuses to attack Trump, hoping — like the majority of the Republican Party — Trump’s campaign will collapse soon. He has an excellent chance to get the majority of those votes.

Raising more money, next to Bush, with the help of his candidate committee and super PACs, while keeping his money under control, so he has tens of millions of dollars waiting to be spent at the opportune time.

He is the standard-bearer for articulating the current mood of the GOP base. His chances in the Iowa caucus are well-plotted. He has the best profile in a deeply socially conservative southern state. As the current front-runners’ polls start to shrink he will benefit. He was an integral part of the George Bush re-election and was rewarded with a promotion to director of policy at the Federal Trade Commission.

Some of his ideas

* Repeal Obamacare at all cost.

* No compromise on immigration, he is for pro-immigration leading to the path for citizenship

* Wants to amend constitution so that voters can oust Supreme Court justices

* Amend constitution to allow states to ban gay marriage

* Abolish IRS, switch to a flat tax

His chances to be the nominee are evens. It is obvious his ambition to jump the nomination hurdles have been well-planned and will be surgically executed leaving the real surgeon on the team a major casuality along his path towards victory. Does he have the credentials to be commander-in-chief? His résumé certainly does. Is David Panton waiting to be on the podium if his friend becomes the nominee, and then an official guest at the inauguration January 2017? And which candidate will get the blessing of the Republican establishment?

Tony Miles is a government pensioner and author of Human Weaknesses, Forgiveness Epitomised. Send comments to the Observer or tonymiles1940@gmail.com.