This hasn’t been easy.
After a rough and tumble primary filled with very personal insults and slanderous attacks, Senator Ted Cruz has endorsed Donald Trump.
You will recall, he was vilified for encouraging people to “vote their conscience” at the Republican convention. Now that he has reached his own personal decision of conscience, he will be vilified by others. For Cruz, it has always been a matter of conscience.
This is his statement of endorsement:
“This election is unlike any other in our nation’s history. Like many other voters, I have struggled to determine the right course of action in this general election.
In Cleveland, I urged voters, “please, don’t stay home in November. Stand, and speak, and vote your conscience, vote for candidates up and down the ticket whom you trust to defend our freedom and to be faithful to the Constitution.”
After many months of careful consideration, of prayer and searching my own conscience, I have decided that on Election Day, I will vote for the Republican nominee, Donald Trump.
I’ve made this decision for two reasons. First, last year, I promised to support the Republican nominee. And I intend to keep my word.
Second, even though I have had areas of significant disagreement with our nominee, by any measure Hillary Clinton is wholly unacceptable — that’s why I have always been #NeverHillary.
Six key policy differences inform my decision. First, and most important, the Supreme Court. For anyone concerned about the Bill of Rights — free speech, religious liberty, the Second Amendment — the Court hangs in the balance. I have spent my professional career fighting before the Court to defend the Constitution. We are only one justice away from losing our most basic rights, and the next president will appoint as many as four new justices. We know, without a doubt, that every Clinton appointee would be a left-wing ideologue. Trump, in contrast, has promised to appoint justices “in the mold of Scalia.”
For some time, I have been seeking greater specificity on this issue, and today the Trump campaign provided that, releasing a very strong list of potential Supreme Court nominees — including Sen. Mike Lee, who would make an extraordinary justice — and making an explicit commitment to nominate only from that list. This commitment matters, and it provides a serious reason for voters to choose to support Trump.
Second, Obamacare. The failed healthcare law is hurting millions of Americans. If Republicans hold Congress, leadership has committed to passing legislation repealing Obamacare. Clinton, we know beyond a shadow of doubt, would veto that legislation. Trump has said he would sign it.
Third, energy. Clinton would continue the Obama administration’s war on coal and relentless efforts to crush the oil and gas industry. Trump has said he will reduce regulations and allow the blossoming American energy renaissance to create millions of new high-paying jobs.
Fourth, immigration. Clinton would continue and even expand President Obama’s lawless executive amnesty. Trump has promised that he would revoke those illegal executive orders.
Fifth, national security. Clinton would continue the Obama administration’s willful blindness to radical Islamic terrorism. She would continue importing Middle Eastern refugees whom the FBI cannot vet to make sure they are not terrorists. Trump has promised to stop the deluge of unvetted refugees.
Sixth, Internet freedom. Clinton supports Obama’s plan to hand over control of the Internet to an international community of stakeholders, including Russia, China, and Iran. Just this week, Trump came out strongly against that plan, and in support of free speech online.
These are six vital issues where the candidates’ positions present a clear choice for the American people.
If Clinton wins, we know — with 100% certainty — that she would deliver on her left-wing promises, with devastating results for our country.
My conscience tells me I must do whatever I can to stop that.
We also have seen, over the past few weeks and months, a Trump campaign focusing more and more on freedom — including emphasizing school choice and the power of economic growth to lift African-Americans and Hispanics to prosperity.
Finally, after eight years of a lawless Obama administration, targeting and persecuting those disfavored by the administration, fidelity to the rule of law has never been more important.
The Supreme Court will be critical in preserving the rule of law. And, if the next administration fails to honor the Constitution and Bill of Rights, then I hope that Republicans and Democrats will stand united in protecting our fundamental liberties.
Our country is in crisis. Hillary Clinton is manifestly unfit to be president, and her policies would harm millions of Americans. And Donald Trump is the only thing standing in her way.
A year ago, I pledged to endorse the Republican nominee, and I am honoring that commitment. And if you don’t want to see a Hillary Clinton presidency, I encourage you to vote for him.”
Another great American Patriot, Abraham Lincoln shared some insight in his second inaugural address that could, indeed, make America great again:
“With malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in, to bind up the nation’s wounds… “
At the end of the day, people should vote their conscience.
It’s what I intend to do.
***Gordon Howie is an author and CEO of Life and Liberty Media***
“It’s not about right or left, it’s about Right or Wrong.”
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It was disappointing, to be sure, especially since it was undoubtedly a matter of pragmatism over principle.
Cruz is principled and intelligent, so he no doubt knows the reasons he gave are based more on desperate hope than fact and likelihood.
Even in this unpleasant capitulation to the worst presidential nominee the GOP has ever fielded, Cruz managed to hold onto some candor and realism. Notice his repeated use of “Trump has promised” and “Trump has said,” rather than “Trump will do this” and “Trump will do that.” Cruz still knows there is a gulf of light-years between what Trump SAYS versus what Trump will DO. (Trump’s decades-long record of support for liberal policies and politicians is the best indicator of what he would actually DO.)
The establishment made it very hard for Cruz to maintain full principle. We’ve probably all heard the threats from gutless trolls like Reince Priebus and other establishment pukes recently, as well as some of Cruz’s biggest financial supporters who have decided to support the Democrat with an “R” after his name over the Democrat with a “D” after her name. He probably felt he had to throw them some bone, no matter what a turd sandwich it was to have to endorse an amoral liberal dirtbag with an “R” after his name.
It’s dampened my enthusiasm for Cruz, and I don’t have the same level of trust that I did 24 hours ago, but as long as he continues to maintain one of the very highest conservative voting records in congress, he’ll continue to have my strong support.
Ultimately, the most important thing for a legislator to maintain is casting reliable votes FOR conservative principles and AGAINST liberal ones. He’s the #2 most conservative senator (97%), and for America’s sake, let’s hope he continues to be.
As long as Cruz keeps up that record, he’s definitely still one of the good guys.
Sorry, I disagree. I think the worst nominee fielded by the GOP is a tie between Gerald Ford and John McCain.