Cruz tells Texas delegation his refusal to endorse Trump was 'personal'
Speaking at a breakfast for the Texas delegation Thursday morning, Sen. Ted Cruz explained that his refusal to endorse Republican nominee Donald Trump in his convention speech Wednesday was "personal." Cruz said Trump knew he was not going to offer an endorsement — something Trump himself confirmed — and told the home-state crowd that he could not support someone who, during the primary campaign, was "maligning my wife and maligning my father":
Cruz making it clear that last night was payback "for maligning my wife and maligning my father." Wow.
— Neil King (@NKingofDC) July 21, 2016
During the GOP primary season, Trump suggested Cruz's father was linked to the assassination of former President John F. Kennedy and insulted Cruz's wife Heidi's appearance, remarks for which Trump never apologized, Cruz noted. As a result, Cruz said, the pledge all the candidates made last fall, to support the party's eventual nominee, was "abrogated":
Cruz on the pledge to support the nominee: "The day that was abrogated was the day this become personal."
— Phil Mattingly (@Phil_Mattingly) July 21, 2016
Wow @tedcruz says the pledge was not a promise to be "a servile puppy dog" to support somebody who attacked his wife pic.twitter.com/BMFFGTJ7gR
— Jonathan Karl (@jonkarl) July 21, 2016
Cruz also effectively dismissed the idea of an obligation to party unity:
.@TedCruz: "This isn't just a team sport. We don't just put on red jerseys and blue jerseys and yaaay."
— Patrick Svitek (@PatrickSvitek) July 21, 2016
He did, however, clarify Thursday that he would not be voting for Hillary Clinton — but he said he'd simply be "watching and listening" to the proceedings until November before making a decision about Trump.