Why do voters find it so hard to warm to Ted Cruz's face? Neurologist examines Republican's features - and says answer lies in his smile (or lack of)
- Dr Richard Cytowic has studied why some find it hard to warm to Ted Cruz
- He analysed the senator's face, finding his facial features are downturned
- Added Cruz also lacks conventional upward looking mouth when smiling
- Dr Cytowic says people see a downturned mouth as an expression of disgust
- See more news on the US election at www.dailymail.co.uk/USelection2016
He is currently giving Donald Trump a run for his money in the race to become the Republican Presidential candidate.
But a neurologist has conducted a study to find out why so many people still find it hard to warm to Senator Ted Cruz.
And according to his analysis, Cruz's lack of a conventional smile could be the reason why he has turned some voters off.
A neurologist has conducted a study to find out why so many people still find it hard to warm to Senator Ted Cruz
Dr Richard Cytowic from George Washington University found that Cruz has an unconventional smile
Dr Richard Cytowic from George Washington University carried out the research after Cruz, a Texas senator, received some unfavourable comparison to characters such as Grandpa Munster and Kevin from The Office.
And his study of Cruz's face showed that rather than the corners of his mouth going up like in a natural smile, his mouth typically tightens into a straight line and sometimes even downwards.
And it is this that could be turning voters off as downturned expressions are usually a signal of disagreeableness or disgust, he argued.
Dr Cytowic wrote in Pyschology Today: 'I have rarely, if ever, seen a conventional smile from Senator Cruz. Such an expression is rare in the context of public presentations that are meant to win people over.
Downturned expressions are usually a signal of disagreeableness or disgust, Dr Cytowic argued
Dr Richard Cytowic's study of Cruz's face showed that rather than the corners of his mouth going up like in a natural smile, his mouth typically tightens into a straight line and sometimes even downwards
'He may well be unaware that the message of his body language is incongruent with his words.
'For the record I am not a Democrat. I’m at a loss to verbalize what unsettles me so when I watch the freshman senator. But it leaves me cold.'
And Senator Cruz may want to take Dr Cytowic's advice on board going into today's New Hampshire Primary, where his nearest rival Donald Trump is tipped to win.
Cruz won the first contest in Iowa, and Trump has spent the past week both protesting the result and stepping up more traditional campaign activities.
On Monday night, Trump got a shot in at Cruz, when an audience member at a rally, shouted an insult directed at the senator, which was a vulgar term for a coward.
Trump repeated the term and jokingly reprimanded the woman.
Today, Senator Cruz is taking on nearest rivals Donald Trump, left, and Marco Rubio, right, in the New Hampshire Primary
Other candidates battling it out for the Republican nomination in New Hampshire include Marco Rubio, former Florida Governor Jeb Bush, Ohio Governor John Kasich and New Jersey Governor Chris Christie.
All have staked their White House bid on New Hampshire, hoping a strong showing here will lead voters - and crucial financial donors - to give their candidacies another look.
Meanwhile Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders are going head to head for the Democratic nomination.
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