Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant endorsed Texas Sen. Ted Cruz for president less than a day before the Hospitality State’s Republican primary begins.
“It’s time for Republicans to join together and unite the party for the good of our state and our nation,” Bryant said Monday evening. “I urge my fellow Mississippians to join me in standing behind Ted Cruz tomorrow.”
The second-term governor’s endorsement could boost Cruz in Tuesday’s race. Bryant received more than two-thirds of the state’s support in the 2015 election, indicating he has a significant amount of backing from conservatives.
Cruz has won primaries in a number of nearby states, including Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas, but the latest Magellan Strategies poll taken Feb. 29 found Donald Trump has a 24-point advantage over Cruz, 41 percent to 17 percent, making Bryant’s backing even more critical to Cruz.
“I am honored to have the support of Governor Bryant who is committed to uniting conservatives across his state and the nation behind my campaign,” Cruz said. “The people of Mississippi are fed up with they dysfunction in Washington and know this is the time for courageous conservatives to unite.”
Cruz is ranked second in the Washington Examiner’s presidential power rankings.
