Ex-Virginia attorney general endorses Cruz

Former Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli is endorsing Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) for president.

“I’m pleased to endorse Ted Cruz for president,” Cuccinelli said in a statement Friday. “Not only does he have a proven track record for standing up for conservative values, but he has also demonstrated a willingness to fight back against both the Democrats and the establishment agenda.

{mosads}“His leadership in the Senate has been invaluable to advancing our shared principles. I am confident that he will take these same qualities with him to the White House,” he added.

Cuccinelli is also the president of the Senate Conservatives Fund, an influential super-PAC. The group previously endorsed Cruz, as well as his 2016 rivals Sens. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) and Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) in their respective Senate races.

Cuccinelli was the Virginia Republican candidate for governor in 2013, losing the election by less than 3 points. He’s expected to try again and is seen as the GOP front-runner in the state’s 2017 governor’s race.

Cruz said he is “thrilled to have Ken’s support for President.”

“He’s smart, he’s principled and he’s fearless,” he said in a statement. “That last characteristic in particular is a rare quality in elected life. Ken will be a huge asset to our campaign.”