That non-endorsement was rejected as “Washington speak” by Trump surrogate Chris Christie, former governor of New Jersey.
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Looking up, Cruz saw why: Trump’s Boeing 757, unmistakable thanks to its dark blue paintjob and giant TRUMP logo, was passing overhead.
Anti-Trump Republican delegate Ken Cuccinelli told Reuters he escorted Senator Cruz’s wife Heidi off the convention floor in Cleveland out of concern for her safety.
The controversy hung over the opening days of the GOP convention, overshadowing Mrs. Trump’s performance, which was warmly received by those in the convention hall. The Federal Election Commission has clear rules about combining one’s business and campaign assets, but all signs point to the fact that there is no clear line separating these two Trump entities.
By holding out despite nudges from many of his supporters and donors, Mr. Cruz has lived up to his reputation of being an outlier in Republican politics. But Donald Trump isn’t accepting.
Mr Trump sparked rumours about Mr Cruz’s wife and father. At a rally in Cleveland, Cruz said that he and his followers had the duty “to follow our conscience”.
Senator Cruz, who came in a distant second behind Mr Trump in the race for the nomination, stopped short of endorsing Mr Trump after a bitter and personal campaign and mentioned him only once, drawing boos and repeated chants of “We want Trump”.
Trump planned to make a display of solidarity on Wednesday with his running mate, Indiana Governor Mike Pence, a social conservative who is at odds with the NY businessman on many issues. By the end, after he failed to officially give his support to Trump, the audience booed him as he left the stage.
He called presumptive Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton the “secretary of the status quo”, referring to her former job as Secretary of State. “Our party is ready”, Pence said.
Cruz had been very critical of Trump in the last weeks of their primary battle earlier this year, calling the businessman a “pathological liar” and “utterly amoral”.
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“We deserve leaders who stand for principle, who unite us all behind shared values, who cast aside anger for love”, said Cruz, effectively listing criticisms leveled at Trump.
