The disorder provided fresh reminders of the fissures that remain. Amid a chorus of boos from the state delegates, Cruz withheld his endorsement of Trump and called on voters to “vote your conscience” in November 2016 when the U.S. decides its next President. Trump is going down big time and I don’t want to be tied to him so I can run in 2020 as the “I told you so” candidate.
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Anti-Trump Republican delegate Ken Cuccinelli said he escorted Cruz’s wife, Heidi, off the floor of the Republican National Convention out of concern for her safety.
McShane O’Rourke, a Texas delegate from outside Fort Worth, said Cruz gave a “great speech based on the conservative values of the Republican Party”.
“What I do know is that everyone of us has an obligation to follow our conscience, to speak the truth, and truth is unchanging”, he said.
In a speech a few moments after Senator Cruz finished, former US House of Representatives Speaker Newt Gingrich veered from his prepared text to defend the senator.
Cruz pointedly didn’t point out who’s on the top of the ticket in an unusual convention speech in which a vanquished candidate did not endorse the victor.
Indiana’s governor, Mike Pence, has accepted the Republican nomination to be vice president.
Trump’s campaign said Thursday’s goal was setting the groundwork for November’s election and allowing Pence to speak to the country.
Mike Halleck, a delegate from Lisbon, considers Kasich a friend.
Pence framed the November presidential race as crucial to defining the makeup of the Supreme Court for the next 40 years. Some said yes. Others were not so sure.
Pence hit all the points you’d expect from a Republican vice-presidential nominee, bashing presumptive Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton for her handling of foreign policy and criticizing President Barack Obama on the economy.
“I congratulate Donald Trump on winning the nomination last night”, Cruz said. “I guess he was just looking for some balance on the ticket”, Pence joked of the GOP’s Wacky/Dull ticket.
Rubio appeared by video, saying, “The time for fighting each other is over”.
“It’s incredibly exciting that he is the party’s nominee”, Willette said of Trump.
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Earlier in the afternoon, Mr. Trump made a grand entrance by helicopter near downtown Cleveland and was greeted by Mr. Pence.
