Ted Cruz briefly refused to say Donald Trump's name while campaigning for him in Iowa
Sen. Ted Cruz is among some of the Republicans who reluctantly endorsed Donald Trump's presidential campaign.
On Thursday, that tepidness was on display at a rally where he avoided saying the GOP nominee's name entirely.
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During the rally in Bruere Farms, Iowa, Cruz instead lauded the Trump's running mate, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence as "a good man" and a friend, CNN reported.
The Texas senator urged the GOP to unite and defeat Democrats in what has been a divisive election cycle for the party — the fallout of which has led to some Republicans to withdraw support from Trump.
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"Together, we're going to keep Republican control of the Senate and we're going to defeat Hillary Clinton in this presidential election," Cruz said.
When CNN asked Cruz about his reluctance to say Trump's name during the rally, he explained he kept his promise of endorsing Trump and had already cast his ballot for the GOP nominee.
"Well, I am here standing — as I said — in front of the 'Trump-Pence' plane campaigning for the Trump-Pence ticket and I voted for Donald Trump and Mike Pence this week," Cruz said to CNN.
At another rally in Michigan Wednesday, Cruz said Trump's name while addressing the crowd.
After a heated primary battle between Trump, Cruz stunned the Republican National Convention in a speech where he similarly refused to refer to the GOP nominee by name or endorse him for president.
After remaining silent about his support for Trump after the real-estate mogul became the Republican presidential nominee, Cruz finally announced in September that he would formally endorse him for president.
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