What happens when a rival for the Republican nomination calls you a maniac on national television ? Why, pay homage to the 80’s classic dance flick “Flashdance.” In response to Donald Trump’s comments that Sen. Ted Cruz had poor judgment and couldn’t get along with others and was a “maniac,” Cruz flashed back to 1983-era Pittsburgh and the story of a plucky steelworker played by Jennifer Beals who danced her way out of the mills.  

“In honor of my friend @realDonaldTrump and good-hearted #Maniacs everywhere” he tweeted, complete with the link to the YouTube video of the “Flashdance” dance sequence to the Michael Sembello song “Maniac.”

In honor of my friend @realDonaldTrump and good-hearted #Maniacs everywhere: https://t.co/KOPIi4XTVt

— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) December 13, 2015

Cruz was all of 13 years old when "Flashdance" came out in the spring of 1983, too young to attend the R-rated Adrian Lyne feature on his own. But perhaps he caught up with it in later years, maybe at Princeton, where he was sharpening his debate team skills.  

The Texas Republican was responding to Trump’s statement about him on "Fox News Sunday," when the real estate mogul said, "When you look at the way he's dealt with the Senate, where he goes in there like a — you know, frankly, like a bit of a maniac. You never get things done that way."  

Polling released over the weekend indicated Cruz has surged in Iowa's first-in-the-nation caucuses over Trump.

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