The former president’s late backing of J.D. Vance in Ohio and Mehmet Oz in Pennsylvania is directly at odds with the Texas senator’s favored candidates in two brutal Senate primaries that conclude next month. Cruz endorsed his candidates before Trump — Josh Mandel in Ohio and David McCormick in Pennsylvania — and didn’t exactly plan to go toe-to-toe with his 2016 presidential rival. But Trump’s late interventions certainly aren’t scaring him off.
In fact, Cruz is dropping into Ohio this weekend to try and push Mandel across the finish line just days before the May 3 primary. And he says he’ll probably head back to Pennsylvania to bolster McCormick against Oz ahead of the May 17 contest…
Even so, Cruz’s decision to keep working for his candidates opposite Trump is captivating the GOP. Cruz is making clear he’s not backing down in Pennsylvania either: “I’ve already done a couple of events for Dave and I certainly would anticipate that I may well do more.” Trump is expected to do a rally with Oz next week.
Senate Republicans are watching the party’s upcoming primaries with great interest in what kind of nominees they’ll have to take into the general election. They’re a little curious about Cruz’s and Trump’s role in it, too, given Cruz’s public interest in pursuing another presidential campaign and Trump’s flirtations with a third bid.
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