Why would the Trump campaign allow Ted Cruz to speak without pledging to endorse beforehand?
It’s simple. Either way, Donald Trump wins. If Cruz endorses, Trump secures the base. If Cruz makes the speech all about himself and stiffs Trump, Trump wins over people who dislike Cruz.
Want to know which group is bigger?
According to the last poll in the RealClearPolitics average, twice as many voters have an unfavorable view of Cruz than have a favorable view of him — 58 percent to 29 percent. Among millennials and moderates, those numbers are even higher. If you’re Trump, wouldn’t you choose the 58 percent, especially when the vast majority of the 29 percent is already voting for you?
Cruz’s non-endorsement of Trump sends a message to these 58 percent: Trump is independent of Cruz’s flat-earth politics.
Get the Exclusive
04.25.2024