- Senator Cruz officially endorsed the former president on Fox News on Tuesday
- Cruz and Trump colorfully insulted each other during the 2016 Republican primaries
- Trump once insulted Cruz’s wife’s appearance and nicknamed him “Lyin’ Ted.”
Senator Ted Cruz of Texas declared the Republican primary for president “over” and endorsed former President Donald Trump.
His endorsement Tuesday follows Trump’s historic victory in the Iowa caucuses, defeating Republican rivals Ron DeSantis and Nikki Haley by more than 30 points.
“(Iowa) was a dominant victory for Donald Trump,” Cruz told Fox News’ Sean Hannity. “Congratulations to President Trump on this dominant victory. And at this point I believe this race is over.”
“I am proud to support Donald Trump for president of the United States,” added Cruz, who defeated Trump to win the 2016 Iowa caucuses. “I look forward to supporting him enthusiastically.”
But the Texan has not always supported Trump with such enthusiasm.
When the two Republicans faced off in the 2016 Republican presidential race, they often exchanged views.
For example, Trump nicknamed the senator “Lyin’ Ted” and insulted Cruz’s wife’s appearance.
In 2016, during the Republican presidential primaries, Trump posted a meme showing a side-by-side of Ted Cruz’s wife, Heidi, and his wife, Melania
Senator Cruz announced on Fox News’ “Hannity” that he would support Trump for president
Cruz, who won the Republican caucuses in Iowa in 2016, often traded insults with Trump during his campaign
Trump also suggested in the 2016 race that Cruz’s father was involved in the assassination of John F. Kennedy and that the senator committed fraud during that year’s Iowa caucuses.
In response, Cruz called Trump a “sniffing coward” and “pathological liar.”
But on Tuesday, those past comments seemed like water under the bridge.
“I don’t see a path to victory for anyone other than Donald Trump,” Cruz said.
He noted how Trump won a historic 51 percent of the vote in the Iowa caucuses and 98 of 99 counties.
Trump decisively won the Iowa caucuses by a 30-point margin over his opponents
Vivek Ramaswamy dropped out of the race after the Iowa caucuses and began campaigning for Donald Trump in New Hampshire a day later
Trump’s victory in Iowa was the largest margin of victory ever in the caucus
“I have to say, there’s no place like the Iowa caucuses. I know it intimately. The men and women of Iowa take their responsibility incredibly seriously. They are scrutinizing the candidates,” Cruz said.
“And I have to say, Trump’s victory was across the board,” he continued.
Another former primary rival to Trump in 2016, Senator Marco Rubio, also endorsed the former president this week.
So far, nearly half of the 49 Republican senators have thrown their support behind Trump.
“We have to defeat Joe Biden, we have to defeat this disastrous cultural Marxist agenda in the White House,” Cruz said.