Cruz upends Republican convention

BOOED OFF STAGE: Former hopeful refuses to back Trump, tells party members to vote their conscience

ONE-TIME presidential challenger Ted Cruz shocked the Republican convention on Wednesday by thumbing his nose at Donald Trump and urging Americans to “vote their conscience”, sending the 2016 nominee’s bid to unify the party careening off course.

Cruz received a standing ovation as he took the stage, but cheers turned to boos when it became clear the United States senator from Texas did not come here to endorse his former rival.

Trump himself tipped the drama needle into the red by striding into the arena shortly before Cruz finished speaking, giving a thumbs up to people in the arena and surveying the remarkable scene of delegates thrown into turmoil by the Texan's remarks, and who hounded him off the stage.

“We deserve leaders who stand for principle, who unite us all behind shared values, who cast aside anger for love,” said Cruz, effectively listing criticisms levelled at Trump.

“If you love our country and love your children as much as I know that you do, stand and speak and vote your conscience,” he said as the crowd erupted into yells of anger and chants of “Trump! Trump!”

The two men fought a bitter and at times deeply personal primary campaign, in which Trump mocked Cruz’s wife and tarred his rival with a nasty nickname: “Lyin’ Ted”.

Cruz dropped out of the race in May, finishing second to Trump in the delegate count. Cruz is widely expected to run in 2020 should Trump lose to Hillary Clinton.

His none-too-subtle message landed like a political hand grenade in a convention already marred by