Ted Cruz sensationally withheld an endorsement of Donald Trump at the Republican National Convention Wednesday, earning a chorus of boos from the floor before he was upstaged in a power play by the GOP nominee himself.
In a dramatic development, as Cruz wrapped up his speech, Trump suddenly appeared in the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland. He walked to join his family in a VIP area and flashed a thumbs-up — a gesture that transmitted clear anger at the Texas senator’s behavior.
Cruz, his party’s runner-up, uttered Trump’s name just once — to congratulate him — and instead pitched the ideological brand of conservatism that endears him to the GOP’s base.
“I congratulate Donald Trump on winning the nomination last night,” Cruz said. “And like each of you, I want to see the principles that our party believes prevail in November.”
But as it was clear Cruz was going to end his speech without endorsing Trump, delegates began to boo and some chanted “We want Trump!”
“Don’t stay home in November,” Cruz said toward the end of his otherwise very well-received speech. “Stand and speak and vote your conscience.”
As delegates began to protest, Sen. Cruz’s wife, Heidi Cruz, was heckled by Trump supporters shouting “Goldman Sachs!” and escorted out by security. Heidi Cruz, who is an employee of Goldman Sachs, declined to answer questions from reporters, saying, “I don’t talk to the media, thanks.”
The stunning political theater between the top two contenders in the Republican primary race blew open divisions in the party that the convention is designed to heal, and suggested Cruz believes Trump will lose in November.
Cruz’s appearance at the Cleveland convention had been the subject of intense anticipation over his attitude toward Trump, after their intensely personal exchanges in the late stages of the primary race.
He got a prolonged standing ovation as he walked on stage for a speech that appeared to be an attempt to establish himself as the guardian of conservative values that some activists doubt Trump shares.
Blocked from Adelson suite
Cruz’s rebuke ignited a hot scene around the senator as soon as he left the stage. People averted their eyes from Cruz and his wife as they walked with their security detail on the skybox level of boisterous Republicans.
On the donor suite level, people approached Cruz and insulted him, a source told CNN’s Dana Bash. One state party chairman reacted so angrily that he had to be restrained.
Cruz, who has long sought the support of GOP megadonor Sheldon Adelson, was turned away when he tried to enter Adelson’s suite.
Andy Abboud, a senior aide to the Las Vegas casino magnate, said Cruz was initially invited to come up to visit the Adelsons, but when he failed to endorse Trump the invitation was rescinded.”When he didn’t endorse, they were stunned and disappointed,” Abboud told CNN.
“We could not allow Ted Cruz to use the Adelsons as a prop against Donald Trump,” he added. “The Adelsons support Donald Trump and made that clear. They like Ted Cruz, but there was no way the Adelsons were going to be the first stop after not endorsing. That would be disrespectful to our nominee.”
Trump did stop by the suite, and Abboud tweeted out a picture of Trump with Sheldon and Dr. Miriam Adelson.
Trump, whose insults of Cruz were a constant on the campaign trail over the past year, tweeted that Cruz didn’t honor the pledge GOP candidates had signed to back the eventual Republican nominee.”Wow, Ted Cruz got booed off the stage, didn’t honor the pledge! I saw his speech two hours early but let him speak anyway. No big deal!”
Wow, Ted Cruz got booed off the stage, didn’t honor the pledge! I saw his speech two hours early but let him speak anyway. No big deal
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 21, 2016
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie — a former presidential candidate and now a Trump backer — blasted Cruz’s speech in an interview with Bash.”I think it was awful,” Christie said. “And quite frankly, I think it was something selfish. And he signed a pledge. And it’s his job to keep his word.”
Trump lawyer Michael Cohen said on CNN that “the only way to describe it is political suicide.”A source close to Cruz said the senator wasn’t shocked by the mood after the speech.”He expected people to not approve,” the source said. “Not surprised at the reaction.”
Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, who accepted the nomination as Trump’s vice presidential nominee at the end of Wednesday’s session, sidestepped when asked about Cruz’s speech.”I am just grateful for all the support we are receiving and I am excited about the future,” Pence said.
Eric Trump’s reaction: “The audience didn’t seem to like it right?”
Asked about the impact of the non-endorsement, Eric Trump responded, “I don’t think it makes any difference in the world.”
Hillary Clinton’s campaign seized on Cruz’s speech as well, tweeting: “Vote your conscience” with a link to her website.