Cruz’s move comes after a string of primary losses Tuesday to Trump and less than a week before Indiana’s May 3 primary, which has emerged as possibly the Texas senator’s last stand in his fight to keep Trump from winning the nomination outright.
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The Midwestern state is the next battleground for selecting the Republican and Democratic presidential candidates for the November 8 presidential election and is shaping up to be Cruz’s best – and perhaps last – chance to block Trump’s march to the nomination.
Struggling U.S. presidential candidate Ted Cruz has picked former computer technology executive and ex-foe for the nomination Carly Fiorina as his vice presidential running mate.
“Senator Cruz’s announcement of Carly Fiorina as running mate appears what it is, an act of desperation”.
Vice presidential speculation heated up this week after Cruz confirmed his campaign was vetting Fiorina as a running mate. Earlier this week, Cruz’s campaign announced that it had come up with a short list of potential candidates for vice president and that it is vetting rival-turned-supporter Carly Fiorina.
Mark Meckler, president of the tea party organization Citizens for Self-Governance of Chicago Park, Calif., saw the advantages of Fiorina.
“I think this has probably become Donald Trump’s race to lose as he had such a big night on Tuesday and as he heads into Indiana Trump is in a very strong position”.
“Ted could not be more right in what he said: There is a lot at stake, and in fact, this is a fight, this is a fight for the soul of our party and the future of our nation”, said Fiorina, a previous Presidential hopeful, and the only female in the Republican race.
As The Times put it, “Mr. Cruz’s decision to rush out a vice-presidential pick before next week’s primary in IN…”
“Trump’s five-state win this week makes it clear even to Republicans for whom he is not their preferred choice that the only alternative to rallying behind him is chaos and a Hillary [Clinton] victory”.
Fiorina said she was “very proud and very humbled and honored” to accept his invitation to join a ticket.
The move, which amounts to the grandest diversionary ploy a candidate can stage, was also reminiscent of someone whom Cruz reveres: Ronald Reagan.
“She is careful. She is measured”, he said.
In fiery remarks, Fiorina panned Trump and Clinton as a pair of liberals who would do little to shake up Washington. Trump must win 48 percent of the remaining delegates to avoid that scenario. He was followed by Cruz at 560 and Ohio Governor John Kasich at 153.
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“I have watched Ted and Heidi: They are partners, they’re a couple that rely on each other”, Fiorina said. He holds a formidable lead in the delegates needed to secure the party nomination at its convention in July but has yet to garner enough to definitively secure the nomination. What’s changed? We’re in the Hoosier state.
