Donald Trump has buried the hatchet with Ted Cruz and will appear tonight at 6:30 CST with the Texas Senator at a rally in Houston (scroll down to watch, pre-rally festivities streaming now). Trump supporters drove hours and camped overnight for the event, which had to be moved to a bigger venue which holds nearly twice as many people at 19,000.
A sea of mostly red-clad President Trump supporters flooded closed-off streets around the Toyota Center Monday morning, hours ahead of the president’s rally here with Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas.
Many attendees drove from hours away, foregoing sleep to line up overnight as they sought to ensure a spot at the rally. The arena seats about 18,000 people, far less than the reported demand for the event. –Chron
Massive crowds inside and outside of the @ToyotaCenter in Houston, Texas. Landing shortly – see everyone soon! #MAGA🇺🇸https://t.co/0pWiwCq4MH pic.twitter.com/tj5S6Z2GY7
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 22, 2018
Trump ditched the ‘Lyin Ted nickname he gave Cruz during the 2016 US election, and is now calling him “Beautiful Ted,” adding “I call him Texas Ted.”
While Trump is offering some much-needed support to Cruz – who holds a single digit lead over House Rep. Beto O’Rourke (D) just two weeks before midterms – it’s hard not to see tonight’s rally as somewhat of an extended victory lap for Trump nearly two years after a contentious 2016 election which saw Trump and Cruz as the last men standing on the GOP ticket before Cruz bowed out (and refused to endorse Trump, conservatives to “vote with your heart.”). Trump and Cruz fought dirty, with Trump tweeting an unflattering picture of Cruz’s wife, and Cruz referring to Trump as “sleazy,” and a “sniveling coward.”
“@Don_Vito_08: “A picture is worth a thousand words” @realDonaldTrump #LyingTed #NeverCruz @MELANIATRUMP pic.twitter.com/5bvVEwMVF8“
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 24, 2016
And while some of Trump’s fiercest conservative enemies during the 2016 election, such as Sens. Rand Paul and Lindsey Graham, have become his staunchest allies – Cruz has remained lukewarm towards the President.
But even on the eve of what is expected to be a massive event in Houston, Cruz still seemed somewhat sparse in his praise of Trump in a story that aired on “This Week with George Stephanopoulos” on Sunday.
“He’s the President,” said Cruz. “I work with the President in delivering on our promises. What I told the President the week after the election, I said, ‘Mr. President, I want to do everything humanly possible to roll up my sleeves and lead the fight in the Senate to deliver on our promises.” –CNN
Watch the rally below:
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