In a dramatic reversal from his controversial non-endorsement at the Republican convention in July, Texas Senator Ted Cruz firmly backed Donald Trump's bid for the White House on Friday.
"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," he said in a
message posted to Facebook.
In response, Trump put out a warm statement saying he was "greatly honored by the endorsement" by "a tough and brilliant opponent."
The issue has weighed heavily on Cruz, 45, who faces re-election to the Senate in 2018 and has kept the door open to running for president again. Gallup tracking surveys found that Cruz's net favorable rating among Republicans fell by a jarring 35 percentage points in the weeks after the convention, dipping into negative territory.
Cruz's show of support came days after Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus suggested he may block Republicans who don't back Trump from running for the party's nomination again. It also followed news of Heidi Cruz, his wife,
rejoining Goldman Sachs in the Houston office. She took an unpaid leave last year to aid her husband's campaign.
Cruz listed several reasons for reversing his stance on Trump, most importantly citing the future shape of the Supreme Court. Earlier Friday, Trump released an expanded list of potential justices he would consider naming to the high court, including Cruz's best friend in the Senate, Republican Mike Lee of Utah.
Cruz noted that Trump said he would only consider filling court openings with names on his list and said that commitment "provides a serious reason for voters to choose to support Trump."
The Texas Republican also listed Obamacare, energy and internet freedom as other areas where Trump was preferable to Clinton.
"Donald Trump is the only thing standing in her way," he wrote.
Cruz, in Reversal, Issues Endorsement of Trump for President
I'm glad Cruz finally came to his senses.