After several minutes of avoiding the subject of Trump entirely, Cruz finally acknowledged that “now, our party has a nominee”. Talking to attendees leaving the hall Wednesday night, most were unhappy with Cruz’s performance. The Trump campaign knew.
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The upside of Cruz’s gamble is that in one brief appearance, he won the intensified support of those Republicans who can not reconcile themselves to Trump. German-born Thiel said he was proud to be gay, but did not make an expected appeal for the Republican Party to adopt a more gay-friendly platform.
And another Texas conservative loudly added: “The party has spoken” to which Cruz replied “Sir I’m not going to engage in a screaming match”.
Don King, the boxing promoter, has told Variety and other outlets that the Republican party pressured Trump to deny him a speaking slot, but he’s perhaps more than made up for the exposure in making the rounds to broadcast and cable outlets.
Another Cincinnati delegate, Tony Maas, said he also was “extremely disappointed” that the governor did not back Trump but said he still supports Kasich wholeheartedly and voted for him in the primary.
As Mr Cruz left the stage after his non-endorsement speech, showered in boos, he gave a brief thumbs-up, apparently satisfied that the deed was done.
The media’s focus on the ongoing tension could dissipate on Thursday night, when Trump delivers his acceptance speech, in what may be the most important moment of his campaign.
“This is like it’s an engagement and the guy you’re going to marry goes out and does these things that are an abomination to the vows that you’re going to take, then you have a right to reject that person and not marry him”, said Maggie Wright of Burleson, Texas, in defense of Cruz.
“This is about principles and ideals”, Cruz told the Texas delegation Thursday morning. “I am watching, I am listening”, Cruz said.
Cruz, the Republican runner-up to Trump in the delegate count, has never had the best relationship the party’s newly crowned nominee.
“I never went into this with a guaranteed outcome”, Unruh said.
“Donald Trump did something no previous nominee has done-he allowed Ted Cruz to speak without his promising to support the nominee”.
“It would have been the easiest thing in the world to turn tail and run”, said Cruz as part of the crowd rose to their feet in applause.
Trump will be introduced by his daughter, Ivanka, who will be charged with humanising her father and trying to appeal to women voters who may still be having second thoughts about presumptive Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton.
“Don’t stay home in November”, Cruz said.
The delegates responded with angry boos, and Cruz backer and former Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli escorted Heidi Cruz off the convention floor as she was heckled by Trump delegates. “In this election there is only one candidate who will uphold the constitution”, referring to Trump.
“I just think it was an bad performance”, he told MSNBC. “You’re not a builder unless you’ve got a building to show for it”.
Cruz was booed by delegates.
Donald Trump and Ivanka Trump are walking through the final steps for their speeches on Day 4 – the closing moments of the convention.
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“He’s the most self-centered, narcissistic, pathological liar I’ve ever seen – and you can quote me on that”, he said.
