SAN MARCOS, Texas (AP) – Ted Cruz won 11 states and finished a surprising second in a Republican presidential primary, but his popularity may be slipping nationally and back in Texas.
Cruz was roundly criticized for refusing to endorse Donald Trump at the Republican National Convention. His recent about-face to support Trump may not have helped enough.
The moves angered some establishment Texas Republicans while alienating parts of Cruz’s tea party base that had long since embraced Trump and wondered what took Cruz so long.
Also disappointed were true-believer conservatives who liked Cruz’s shunning of Trump and were sorry to see him abandon it.
Cruz isn’t up for re-election until 2018, but now may face a serious challenger in Texas’ Republican primary for U.S. Senate. That’s something that was politically unthinkable not long ago.
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