Sen. Ted Cruz endorses Trump after ‘dominating victory’ in Iowa: ‘This race is over’

January 17, 2024

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) threw his support behind Donald Trump on Tuesday, endorsing the former president’s 2024 White House run and declaring the Republican primary race “over.”

The Texas Republican’s endorsement comes after Trump’s landslide victory in the Iowa Caucus Monday, in which the77-year-old received 51% of the vote and won 98 of the Hawkeye State’s 99 counties.

“I believe this race is over, so I am proud to endorse Donald Trump for president of the United States,” Cruz told Fox News host Sean Hannity. “I look forward to supporting him enthusiastically.”

The Texas senator argued that “it’s time for the Republican Party to unite” ahead of the general election race against President Biden, but he stopped short of explicitly calling on Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley to suspend their campaigns.

“With the results last night, the people have spoken,” Cruz said, calling Trump’s Iowa win “decisive,” and a “dominating victory.”

Sen. Ted Cruz is endorsing Republican presidential candidate Trump after his victory in Iowa. Fox News

Republican presidential candidate and former President Donald Trump points to supporters during the campaign rally at Atkinson Country Club on Jan. 16, 2024 in Atkinson, New Hampshire. Getty Images

“It’s time to move onward to victory in November.”

“I don’t see any path to victory for anyone other than Donald Trump,” he continued, while acknowledging that the Jan. 23 New Hampshire GOP primary “might be closely contested.”

Cruz, who competed against Trump in the 2016 GOP presidential primaries, is the 24th Republican senator to endorse Trump – a list that includes Sens. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), JD Vance (R-Ohio) and Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) – according to the Hill.

DeSantis and Haley have yet to receive a single sitting senator’s endorsement, the outlet notes.