Rubio nears Cruz endorsement

Politico ^ | 3/17/16 | MARC CAPUTO

[jimbo123]

Marco Rubio is close to endorsing Ted Cruz, but the two proud senators — and recent fierce rivals — have some details to work out first.

Cruz has to ask for the Rubio’s endorsement, and both sides need to decide that it will make a difference, according to sources familiar with the thinking of both senators.

Rubio and Cruz, who are more friendly with each other in the Senate than they are with longer-serving colleagues, occasionally chatted and patched up their sometime-rocky relationship on the campaign trail heading into Florida’s primary Tuesday, when Rubio was blown out by Donald Trump and subsequently quit the presidential race.

The buzz about a Rubio endorsement of Cruz intensified after the St. Paul Pioneer Press on Thursday reported that the Florida senator called his Texas colleague “the only conservative left in the race.”

Rubio, who returned to work Thursday in the Capitol, told reporters “I don’t have any announcement on that today” when asked about a Cruz endorsement. Rubio indicated, though, that he might have something to say soon.

[BlueStateRightist]

Notwithstanding the meaning of this endorsement from a political/policy point of view, this would likely be too little too late for Cruz.

[moehoward]

By the time he does it won’t mean a thing. All his support will have settled on their new choice.

[dp0622]

this could add to Cruz’ numbers but not enough to win or overtake Trump.

Called congressmen the past two days and will call again today letting them know if there are any antics at the convention or they support a third party, they’ll never hold office again.

do I think the calls matter? probably not.

but millions of calls might.

I don’t know.

[TheThirdRuffian]

Rubio should have dropped our before Florida.

Kasich is really pissing me off.

[jersey117]

Doesn’t matter. They both lost the big prize.... Florida

[QuigleyDU]

Rubio should have dropped our before Florida.

Kasich is really pissing me off.
==
Prepare. 50% chance he will be the VP choice, gotta win OH you know.

[John Valentine]

At this point, Cruz can win, but perhaps only if John Kasich wakes up tomorrow morning and finds his favorite thoroughbred’s head under his sheets.

[gov_bean_ counter]

However, that same event could be used to motivate John to stay in. Just sayin’...

[boycott]

You mean little Marco? Trump was brutal to that guy.

[TXSearcher]

For some reason, it would really surprise me if Rubio supported Cruz.

I've wondered if "suspending" his campaign, instead of closing it, gives him leverage to re-enter the race should it go to a contested convention? Does anyone know the Republican primary "rules" on that?

[DouglasKC]

This is interesting. Rubio would be a fool to endorse Cruz if he wants any kind of political leverage.

[Nifster]

How nice for Ted. He is being endirsed by the establishment

[Nifster]

Ah the kook aid that has been fed Ted. If we can get to a two man race. Well you can’t. Now what?

Everyone is playing on the same field. Cruz shot himself when he ignored the South figuring it was automatically his. Trump came and conquered. It is teds own fault

[bigbob]

I can’t seem to get any of the Cruz supporters to engage on the question of how they like a Cruz who is either Trumps #2 (VP) or who becomes the latest source of GOPe financial suport (of course they won’t expect any favors in return!)

Cruz’s whole deal is how principled he is. Well, you can’t be principled and be on the GOP teat at the same time. And those who continue to fantasize about a Trump-Cruz ticket being the answer to winning the election fail to think about what comes next, when Cruz is forced to implement ideas and an agenda that he has said he is opposed to.

It’s a tough test for Senator Cruz. His best option is to to go back to being “Senator” Cruz.

[gusty]

I believe that if we had traditional voting on the actual election day, Rubio would have seriously contemplated dropping out before last Tuesday. However, in order to accommodate the stupid and lazy, we have rolling election days over two weeks with early voting. A good percentage of votes were already cast before the actual primary day. If Rubio dropped out it would have made no difference to Cruz in winner take all Florida. He stayed in because the die was cast when voting started two weeks ago.

[johniegrad]

Rubio should have dropped our before Florida. Kasich is really pissing me off.

Cruz will not win one-on-one. It doesn't matter what Rubio did or what Kasich will do.

[cincinnati65]

GOPe: “Circle the limos! The peasants are coming!”

[HockeyPop]

Cruz need only to shorten the delegate with Trump. From there it will come down to either a contested or brokered convention. And once Rubio and Kasich throw their support behind Cruz along with their delegates one suspects Cruz will get the nomination.

[johniegrad]

What do you mean by “shorten the delegate”?