Cruz avoids talk of Trump while campaigning with Pence

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) on Thursday neglected to mention Donald Trump by name as he made his first appearance on the campaign trail for the Republican presidential ticket.

{mosads}While campaigning with Trump’s running mate, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, in the final week of the race, Cruz argued that Americans need “a Republican” in the White House as well as for the GOP to maintain control of the Senate. 

Cruz’s remarks largely resembled his stump speeches from his own presidential campaign and trained fire on Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton. He needled Clinton over the FBI’s decision to review new emails that may be related to the investigation of her private email server, and he echoed Trump’s call for a special prosecutor to investigate Clinton.

“This corruption has got to end,” Cruz said at a rally in Prole, Iowa. “And there needs to be a special prosecutor to investigate and prosecute the corruption of Hillary Clinton.”

“It’s all about turnout,” he continued later in his speech. “Together, we’re going to keep Republican control of the Senate and we’re going to defeat Hillary Clinton in this presidential election.”

Before introducing Pence, Cruz heaped praise on the GOP vice presidential nominee, saying that he embraces “strong principled conservatism.”

“He is someone who today I call my friend, and I very much look forward to calling him Mr. Vice President,” Cruz said.

Cruz’s decision to stump with Trump’s running mate caps off a tumultuous relationship that started during the heated GOP presidential primaries. Cruz and Trump sparred continuously throughout the campaign, and when Cruz eventually dropped out, he held out on endorsing the nominee.

The Texas senator declined to endorse the GOP standard-bearer on numerous occasions, most notably at the Republican National Convention this summer, where Cruz was ridiculed by fellow Republicans and even his allies for refusing to support Trump.

In October, Cruz ended up endorsing Trump in a Facebook post, saying the real estate mogul is the only chance of stopping Clinton. Cruz said earlier this week that he voted for Trump for president.

Cruz will make a second appearance with Pence later Thursday in Portage, Mich., as Trump seeks to widen the field and flip traditionally blue states where he believes his working-class, anti-trade-deal message will resonate.

In the final week of the race, the polls have been tightening both nationally and in several battleground states. Trump has held a consistent, narrow edge in Iowa and leads Clinton by nearly 2 points, according to RealClearPolitics polling average.