Trump, Cruz let ‘Lyin’ Ted’ die

President coming to aid GOP Texas senator he derided

AUSTIN, Texas — President Donald Trump says he’ll ride to the rescue of onetime rival Sen. Ted Cruz this fall, the strongest indication yet that the Texas conservative firebrand is getting nervous about his challenger, a liberal darling with a growing national profile.

Trump tweeted he will headline “a major rally” for Cruz in October and is “picking the biggest stadium in Texas we can find.”

He added, “Ted has my complete and total Endorsement (sic),” and called Democratic Rep. Beto O’Rourke “a disaster for Texas — weak on Second Amendment, Crime, Bor- ders, Military, and Vets!”

The tweet of support Friday was a long way from Trump’s previous assessment of Cruz’s record. He once declared the senator “has accomplished absolutely nothing” for Texans. Cruz has labeled Trump “a sniveling coward.”

But the promise of presidential assistance suggested Cruz — and his party — are feeling the heat. Trump has long planned to travel to bolster Republican candidates before November’s midterm elections, but he was not expected to spend valuable time in reliably-red Texas for a race that for months looked like a Cruz cakewalk.

Trump’s announcement was also likely to further intensify the hype around O’Rourke, who has consistently outraised Cruz and has rocketed to national stardom in recent weeks. Video of O’Rourke, who is giving up his El Paso House seat to run, defending NFL players’ right to protest racial inequality and police brutality during the playing of the national anthem has been viewed by millions.

Those close to Cruz’s campaign report that internal polling shows O’Rourke trailing by 5 or 6 percentage points, which is in line with recent public polls.

Republicans across Texas and Washington have become most concerned with the Democrat’s prolific fundraising. Cruz has raised more money than any other Republican Senate candidate this cycle. But O’Rourke, who reported having raised nearly $24 million through June, could double Cruz’s fundraising, despite shunning support of outside political groups.

Cruz has repeatedly attacked his opponent, doing everything from referring to him by his full name, Robert, to criticizing O’Rourke for voting against a bill offering tax breaks for Harvey victims. Little has slowed O’Rourke’s rise.

Trump’s announcement followed private discussions between the White House and the Cruz campaign about how the Republican president, who handily won Texas in 2016, could be most helpful, according to Republicans with knowledge of the discussions but who asked for anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the matter.

A Trump visit could be the latest in an awkward dance with Cruz that has made the pair one of politics’ leading odd couples.

Cruz spent the early months of the 2016 presidential race praising Trump, betting that the reality TV star’s supporters would flock to him if their candidate’s meteoric rise flamed out. They later clashed bitterly as Cruz finished second for the GOP nomination, with Trump dubbing Cruz “Lyin’ Ted,” making fun of Cruz’s wife’s appearance and suggesting that his Cuban-born father had a hand in John F. Kennedy’s assassination.

Cruz responded by calling Trump “a sniveling coward” and “a pathological liar.”

He refused to endorse him during the 2016 Republican National Convention, only to announce his support barely a month before Election Day 2016.

The relationship has improved since, although resentment lingers among many die-hard Trump supporters.

It’s not yet clear whether Trump’s kind words on Twitter, and the would-be rally, can heal those wounds.

Cruz