Cruz Endorses Trump: A Curveball in the Presidential Race
By: Emily Biery – Staff Writer
News surfaced that Ted Cruz endorsed Donald Trump for the presidency on September 23 and much of the public feedback from Republicans and Democrats alike was far from understanding.
“A year ago, I pledged to endorse the Republican nominee, and I am honoring that commitment. And if you don’t want to see a Hillary Clinton presidency, I encourage you to vote for him,” Cruz said.
In the months preceding the Texas senator’s withdrawal from the race, Cruz and Trump engaged in a number of aggressive public statements and tweets directed at one another, involving their personal lives, beliefs, and religion—few, however, regarding their respective political stances.
On March 24, Cruz tweeted, “Donald Trump’s consistently disgraceful behavior is beneath the office we are seeking, and we are not going to follow.”
After encouraging Republicans to “vote their conscience” in the early stages of the presidential race and advocating that many of Trump’s political ideologies were not in alignment with the conscience of Cruz and the majority of his supporters, voters were alarmed by his endorsement.
While many supporters were horrified by Cruz’s decision, questioning how he could have changed his mind so drastically, some respected his choice for its presumed logical rationalization. The justifications for his decision centered around six of Trump’s policy stances that Cruz addressed as being congruent with his own positions. These policies ranged from keeping the Supreme Court from being filled with “left-wing ideologue” to keeping the Internet free of governmental control.
According to CNN, in July, Trump stated that he would not accept an endorsement from Cruz if it were ever offered. This proved inaccurate as Trump welcomed Cruz’s endorsement, calling him a “tough and brilliant opponent.”
Glenn Beck, a conservative radio and television host who supported Cruz throughout his campaign, summarized the feelings of other Cruz supporters saying, “Ted, I disagree with you, I disagree with you strongly. But I still respect you as a man.”
Photo Courtesy of politifact.com