The conservative Texas senator had come to bury Trump, not to praise him.
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Cruz fans, many Texan wearing cowboy hats, appeared to support Trump through gritted teeth as they listened to country western music at Tusker’s Roadhouse on the shores of the Cuyahoga River a few miles from downtown Cleveland. But, by the end of his speech, when it became clear Cruz would not endorse Trump, the crowd turned on him – led by the NY delegation, which chanted “Endorse Trump!”
So what Cruz says later Wednesday during his prime-time convention speech will be closely watched for clues about his presidential aspirations. “Vote for candidates up and down the ticket who you trust to defend our freedom, and to be faithful to the Constitution”.
Cruz urged Americans to “vote your conscience”, a line associated with anti-Trump delegates who tried in vain to stop his nomination.
At one point, Cruz’ wife had to be escorted out of the arena, as angry supporters began aggressively yelling at her. “I just don’t know why Cruz did this”.
It’s been mere days since Donald Trump has been named the official Republican presidential nominee, and his campaign has already been ridden with more scandals than Kerry Washington would know what to do with.
Cruz’s appearance at the Cleveland convention had been the subject of intense anticipation over his attitude towards Trump, after their intensely personal exchanges in the late stages of the primary race.
Jim McKelvey, a delegate from Virginia’s 5th Congressional District, said he agreed the party can unify and has already moved on from the bad vibe at the end of the Cruz speech.
– Republican unity: Any hopes that the story of this convention would be Republicans’ ability to put aside their differences and the nasty rhetoric of the GOP primary season was extinguished in the final five minutes of Cruz’s speech.
Jonathan Barnett, a Republican national committeeman from Arkansas, walked off the floor after Cruz’s speech.
“It’s absolutely outrageous. I can’t believe that Ted Cruz had the nerve to do that”.
“There’s a political tint to this whole issue”, he then said at a press conference. “The truth is, I think they got it wrong”.
U.S. Rep. Louie Gohmert of Tyler, who had campaigned for Cruz in his winning effort in Iowa, said another erstwhile Cruz rival, former Gov. Mike Huckabee of Arkansas, had told him that he knew of no other example of a candidate being given a speaking role without having endorsed the nominee.
“Cruz missed his moment”.
“I was very disappointed that he did not endorse Trump”, Gary Inmon, who lives near San Antonio, said. “No harm was meant”, wrote McIver.
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“(Trump) was always going for the sound bites and reactions”, said Kelly Lotze, an alternate delegate and political consultant from Spokane. The charge was all the more embarrassing because Trump has repeatedly slammed Clinton as untrustworthy. “If she were any more on the “inside” she’d be in prison”. “I would never say that, but these are common phrases that were used over and over again”.
