Cruz: I can energize Trump supporters

Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz said on Friday that he can win over the devoted followers of front-runner Donald Trump.

{mosads}”I will say, if it ends up, as I think probably will happen, at a contested convention that we earn a majority, it’s going to be critically important then to keep the Donald Trump supporters energized and engaged,” Cruz said during an interview on Bloomberg’s “With All Due Respect.”

The Texas senator believes his campaign has outlasted those of Trump’s other opponents because he speaks to the issues that are compelling to the front-runner’s base.

“The issues that energize and excite the Trump voters: illegal immigration, securing the border, keeping this country safe and bringing jobs back to America, bringing them back from China, back from Mexico — those issues are right at the heart of our campaign,” he said. 

“So I believe if I earn a majority of the delegates in Cleveland, that we are going to be able to continue to energize and unite those Trump supporters and get them to come out and vote in November.”

Cruz pointed out that, of the 17 Republicans who began the 2016 race, five of them are now supporting his campaign. He said his team is “in the process”of looking at potential vice presidential nominees, and cited the GOP field as evidence of the party’s deep bench.

“We’ve been endorsed by Rick Perry, by Lindsey Graham, by Jeb Bush, by Scott Walker, by Carly Fiorina. That really is indicative of the Republican Party uniting,” Cruz said.

Asked if he thinks he can win over Trump supporters without necessarily winning over Trump himself, Cruz responded “I certainly hope so.”