Sen. Ted Cruz is stepping back into the national spotlight at the Republican National Convention, where his rival, Donald Trump, will be crowned the presidential nominee.
The Texas senator is widely expected to make another run for the White House in 2020 if the GOP loses in 2016. Cruz finished second to Trump in the 2016 race, and his allies in are already sneaking rule changes in the next primary that might help him.
Republicans will also be watching to see if Cruz has some nice things to say about Trump, who invited the Texan to a speaking role in a gesture of party unity.
Cruz and Trump started the GOP primary as near allies. Even as other candidates went after Trump with direct criticism, Cruz held back, arguing Trump could be good for the party. The strategy appeared designed to win over Trump supporters if the businessman fell out of the race.
Though the "near allies" bond didn't last that long and the relationship between the two had become as nasty as any in a political race should be.
Trump falsely accused that Cruz's father might have played a role in the assassination of John F. Kennedy. Cruz then laid into Trump's personal character, calling the billionaire a "pathological liar" and a "narcissist."
While the two have softened their tones in the months since, Trump hasn't publicly apologized for the personal attacks against Cruz’s family.
Many think Cruz’s speech will focus on the need to defeat Hillary Clinton, who is set to be nominated for president by Democrats at their own national convention. If he does not offer applause for Trump, he will at least set up the election as one of choice between Clinton and the GOP nominee.
Source: The Hill
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