Texas Sen. Ted Cruz pledged his support for Marco Rubio’s re-election effort to the U.S. Senate.
Cruz and Rubio sparred as bitter competitors in the Republican presidential primary, but the Texas senator offered his support for Rubio within hours of making his decision public. Cruz has not offered an endorsement to Donald Trump, the GOP’s presumptive presidential nominee.
“Marco Rubio [is] a friend and has been an ally in many battles we have fought together in the Senate. I’m glad to support him in his bid for re-election,” Cruz said in a Facebook post. “Marco is a tremendous communicator and a powerful voice for the American Dream. At this time of great challenges, we very much need strong leaders in the Senate who will fight to restore economic growth, to defend our constitutional liberties, and to ensure a strong national security for our nation.”
For months on the campaign trail, Rubio said he would not seek re-election. The senator on Wednesday reversed his decision, saying he viewed the role of the Senate as essential in offering a check to the next president.
A new Quinnipiac University poll shows Rubio up seven and eight percentage points on his potential Democratic opponents.
