In a message on his Facebook page today, Senator and former presidential candidate Ted Cruz is endorsing Donald Trump for president.
“A year ago, I pledged to endorse the Republican nominee, and I am honoring that commitment,” Cruz said in the post. “And if you don’t want to see a Hillary Clinton presidency, I encourage you to vote for him.”
“In Cleveland, I urged voters, ‘please, don’t stay home in November. Stand, and speak, and vote your conscience, vote for candidates up and down the ticket whom you trust to defend our freedom and to be faithful to the Constitution,’ ” Cruz said.
“After many months of careful consideration, of prayer and searching my own conscience, I have decided that on Election Day, I will vote for the Republican nominee, Donald Trump.”
According to CNN, the revelation is a “stunning turn of events after a contentious primary filled with nasty personal attacks and a dramatic snub at the Republican National Convention.”
Personal attacks indeed. The rivalry between Cruz and Trump reached a fever pitch during the 2016 campaign when a pro-Cruz PAC circulated an anti-Trump meme featuring a nude image of Trump’s wife, Melania Trump.
Incensed, Trump threatened to “spill the beans” on Cruz’s wife, Heidi Cruz, and later tweeted his own meme showing an unflattering image of Heidi contrasted with Melania along with the caption, “NO NEED TO ‘SPILL THE BEANS’…THE IMAGES ARE WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS”
"@Don_Vito_08: "A picture is worth a thousand words" @realDonaldTrump #LyingTed #NeverCruz @MELANIATRUMP pic.twitter.com/5bvVEwMVF8"
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 24, 2016
Donald, real men don't attack women. Your wife is lovely, and Heidi is the love of my life. https://t.co/pprXhIMzUT
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) March 24, 2016
The dust-up launched a social media and press war between the two candidates.
Cruz called Trump a “coward,” on CNN and added, “If Donald wants to get in a character fight, he’s better off sticking with me because Heidi is way out of his league.”
Cruz later refused to endorse Trump during the Republican National Convention to a chorus of boos from the audience.
So the turn around is amusing, but probably should have been expected. Endorsing a racist conspiracy theorist for president who attacked your family doesn’t exactly stand out considering the horrific things Cruz has endorsed in the past.
Follow @deadstatetweets Featured image via Gage Skidmore (Flickr)