The Republican National Convention (RNC) has featured several of the men who sought to represent the party in the general election for president. Last night (July 20), Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas)—who earned the second highest number of pledged delegates during a contentious primary season that saw Donald Trump nickname him “Lyin’ Ted”—gave a speech in which he failed to formally endorse the party’s nominee. Instead, he implored citizens to “vote your conscience.” It was a move that earned him boos from the crowd.
ON @GMA: "Vote your conscience." – @tedcruz stuns #GOPConvention crowd as he does not endorse Trump, receives boos. pic.twitter.com/Um0er6F5o6
— ABC News (@ABC) July 21, 2016
Cruz later doubled down on the sentiment with the following tweet:
To those listening, please don’t stay home in November. If you love our country, stand and speak and vote your conscience #RNCinCLE
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) July 21, 2016
Trump—whom has been criticized for his plan to ban Muslims from the United States—reportedly appeared in the hall immediately following the speech, then tweeted his reaction:
Wow, Ted Cruz got booed off the stage, didn’t honor the pledge! I saw his speech two hours early but let him speak anyway. No big deal!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 21, 2016
But it was the response from Hillary Clinton, the presumptive Democratic nominee for president, that won the day for best shade thrown at her opponent:
Vote your conscience. https://t.co/xahMq2sU1q
— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) July 21, 2016
(H/t NPR)