Ted Cruz Announces He Will Vote for Donald Trump

Ted Cruz wrote in a Facebook post published Friday: "I have decided that on Election Day, I will vote for the Republican nominee, Donald Trump"

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Ted Cruz is finally caving.

Two months after the failed GOP presidential nominee was booed for refusing to endorse former primary rival Donald Trump at July’s Republican convention, Cruz has announced he will vote for Trump.

“After many months of careful consideration, of prayer and searching my own conscience, I have decided that on Election Day, I will vote for the Republican nominee, Donald Trump,” Cruz wrote in a Facebook post published Friday afternoon.

“I’ve made this decision for two reasons. First, last year, I promised to support the Republican nominee. And I intend to keep my word,” the Texas senator added. “Second, even though I have had areas of significant disagreement with our nominee, by any measure Hillary Clinton is wholly unacceptable – that’s why I have always been #NeverHillary.”

The feud between Cruz and Trump got personal as the primaries wore on, with Trump retweeting a meme of an unflattering photo of Cruz’s wife alongside one of Trump’s own spouse, ex-model Melania Trump. Trump included as a caption this quote from a Twitter user: “A picture is worth a thousand words.”

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Trump also suggested that Cruz’s father, Rafael Cruz, was involved in the assassination of President John F. Kennedy.

At the Republican convention, Cruz congratulated Trump on winning the nomination but pointedly did not endorse him, instead telling his fellow Republican voters – to boos – “To those listening, please, don’t stay home in November. Stand and speak and vote your conscience, vote for candidates up and down the ticket who you trust to defend our freedom and to be faithful to the Constitution.”

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He defended his decision the following day, when he addressed his home state delegation to the Republican National Convention.

“I am not in the habit of supporting people who attack my wife and attack my father,” Cruz said, adding, “That pledge [to endorse the eventual nominee] was not a blanket commitment that if you go and slander and attack Heidi, that I’m going to nonetheless come like a puppy dog and say, ‘Thank you very much for maligning my wife and maligning my father.’ ”

In his Facebook post Friday, Cruz outlined six key policy-related reasons why he plans to vote for Trump in November.

“Our country is in crisis. Hillary Clinton is manifestly unfit to be president, and her policies would harm millions of Americans,” Cruz wrote. “And Donald Trump is the only thing standing in her way.”

“A year ago, I pledged to endorse the Republican nominee, and I am honoring that commitment. And if you don’t want to see a Hillary Clinton presidency, I encourage you to vote for him.”

Shortly after Cruz announced his support for Trump, the GOP nominee released a statement saying: “I am greatly honored by the endorsement of Senator Cruz. We have fought the battle and he was a tough and brilliant opponent. I look forward to working with him for many years to come in order to make America great again.”