Cruz: ‘My focus is on defeating’ Clinton

by Rebecca Savransky - 09/20/16 7:39 PM ET

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) on Tuesday declined to say if he plans to endorse Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, but he made his focus clear.

“My focus is on defeating Hillary Clinton and helping preserve a Senate Republican majority,” the Texas senator told CNN reporter Manu Raju.

Cruz won’t say if he’ll endorse Trump but says: “My focus is on defeating Hillary Clinton and helping preserve a Senate Republican majority”

— Manu Raju (@mkraju) September 20, 2016

{mosads}During the Republican National Convention, Cruz pointedly did not endorse the GOP nominee. Instead, he urged people to vote their conscious.

“If you love your country and you love your children as much as I know that you do, stand and speak, and vote your conscience,” Cruz said during his speech at the RNC.

“Vote for candidates up and down the ticket who you trust to defend our freedom and to be faithful to the Constitution.”

The Texas senator on Tuesday also brushed off comments by Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus that the party could penalize former GOP candidates who don’t back Trump.

“The last thing we need to be worrying about is bickering between Republicans,” Cruz told the CNN reporter.

Just asked CRUZ about PRIEBUS threat: “The last thing we need to be worrying about is bickering between Republicans,” he said.

— Manu Raju (@mkraju) September 20, 2016