Cruz, who called Trump “a pathological liar” and “utterly amoral” when he dropped out of the race for the Republican nomination in May, refused to follow the lead of two of the other defeated candidates, “>Gov. Scott Walker and “>Sen. Marco Rubio, who did endorse the billionaire in their speeches.
Watching Cruz give what seemed like a campaign speech for himself, Trump’s children sat in silence. Then there were cheers and a ripple of applause from the delegates as Cruz looked into the camera and said, “to those listening, please don’t stay home in November.”
Cruz was then jeered as he pointedly stopped short of asking Americans to vote for Trump, the man who had mocked the senator’s wife as unattractive and suggested that his immigrant father might have been involved in the assassination of John F. Kennedy.
Republican delegates surprised that Cruz didn't endorse guy that suggested his father was involved in JFK assassination. So they boo him.
— Sopan Deb (@SopanDeb) July 21, 2016
“If you love our country and love your children as much as I know that you do, stand and speak and vote your conscience — vote for candidates up and down the ticket who you trust to defend our freedom and to be faithful to the constitution.”
As reporters in the hall noted, Trump supporters, led by the New York delegation directly in front of the stage, chanted for Cruz to endorse Trump, yelled “say it!” and heckled and booed him when he did not.
Cruz bringing back the greatest hits: off-the-cuff digs at New York. Amid jeers, "I appreciate the enthusiasm of the New York delegation."
— Matt Flegenheimer (@mattfleg) July 21, 2016
Delegates scream "Trump! Trump!" at @SenTedCruz and "Wrap it up!" Booed for not endorsing @realDonaldTrumpz pic.twitter.com/ZYpJqSfwsO
— James Rosen (@JamesRosenFNC) July 21, 2016
Trump crowd turning on Cruz pic.twitter.com/BCjUp2Aiv4
— Graham Moomaw (@gmoomaw) July 21, 2016
Here are the boos as Cruz refuses to endorse Trump: #RNCinCLE pic.twitter.com/RPo15m39S2
— Ryan Nobles (@ryanobles) July 21, 2016
That is louder than any boo Hillary Clinton got here.
— Nick Confessore (@nickconfessore) July 21, 2016
The booing intensified as Cruz wrapped up his speech, and was interrupted only by the sudden appearance in the hall of Donald Trump, who upstaged the speaker by making his way to his seat even before the senator finished speaking.
Donald Trump just walked into #RNCinCLE convention hall as Sen. Ted Cruz ended speech, stealing crowd's attention pic.twitter.com/vdXSnmmpgY
— CNBC Now (@CNBCnow) July 21, 2016
The look on the Trumps faces as they watched Cruz’s speech pic.twitter.com/0FoGaoM9Xp
— Jon Passantino (@passantino) July 21, 2016
The booing, mixed with some applause from the senator’s supporters, continued as Cruz finally concluded his remarks and left the stage.
How the Cruz boos sounded from the floor pic.twitter.com/SJzYoPBQgt
— Manu Raju (@mkraju) July 21, 2016
cruz's reception from the crowd takes me back to when I used to debate him in college. pretty much same reactions.
— Austan Goolsbee (@Austan_Goolsbee) July 21, 2016
The senator’s wife, Heidi Cruz, was also reportedly heckled and threatened as she was escorted from the convention floor.
HEIDI CRUZ escorted out by security as crowd gets angry at Cruz for his speech. One Trump supporter shouting "Goldman Sachs!" at her
— Manu Raju (@mkraju) July 21, 2016
Angry Ken Cuccinelli escorting Heidi Cruz out as Trump supporters yell at her pic.twitter.com/G6USuhoSx2
— Graham Moomaw (@gmoomaw) July 21, 2016
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