“Vote your conscience”: Ted Cruz Refuses To Endorse Trump

It was perhaps the last thing Republican candidate, Donald Trump needed at the moment in his drive to unite his party, that is bitterly divided, ahead of the November Presidential Election.

In a speech that drew raucous emotions from the crowd at Cleveland’s Quicken Loans Arena, Trump’s chief rival in the primaries, Ted Cruz refused to endorse Trump as expected by the latter when he allowed him to speak at the convention.

Trump later twittered that he saw the speech but still let him speak, probably in the hope that Cruz would do the politically needful. That gamble appears to have backfired. And Trump is firing back, saying that Cruz is selfish, a fraud and that he never liked the guy.

Also in an interview with CNN on the convention floor, former Republican nominee candidate, Chris Christie called Cruz’s move “selfish” and questioned his loyalty to the party.

“I think it was awful and quit frankly I think it was selfish,” Christie said.

“He signed a pledge (to endorse the final nominee) and it’s his job to keep his word, and Donald Trump gave him the opportunity to speak at this convention tonight. I think it was too cute and I think you saw by the end of the speech that the crowd was waiting for him to do the right thing – and realised that he wasn’t going to do it.”

Christie said Cruz broke a promise made by all Republican nominees to support the person who ultimately wins.

“The 17 of us gave a promise to each other and we signed it, and we said ‘no matter what happens, we’re going to support the Republican nominee for president,” he said.

“That’s when he gave the promise. I don’t know what conversations he and Donald may have had since that time, and that’s not what I’m talking about.”

Instead of endorsing Trump, Cruz used the stage to prepare for the next election by thanking the crowd for their support for him during the primaries. At the end, he asked the peope to vote for their conscience. “Stand, and speak, and vote your conscience, vote for candidates up and down the ticket who you trust to defend our freedom and be faithful to the Constitution.”

This is a major blow to the Trump campaign and it at a time the Republicans attempt to close ranks and heal divisions racked up over a brutal primary campaign. During the primaries, Trump repeatedly called his rival “Lyin’ Ted Cruz,” and it appears Cruz has not forgiven him for those barbs and wanted to throw some back.

Cruz said: “We deserve leaders who stand for principle. Who unite us all behind shared values, who cast aside anger for love. That is the standard we should expect from everybody. And to those listening, please don’t stay home in November.”

His refusal to endorse Trump drew loud jeering and boos from those in that arena, but it is doubtful if it is representative of how voters in America feel.