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Delegates react after Cruz decides not to endorse GOP nominee

Delegates react after Cruz decides not to endorse GOP nominee
Posted at 4:35 PM, Jul 21, 2016
and last updated 2018-07-24 21:30:19-04

A Texas delegate from our area describes mixed reactions after U.S. Senator Ted Cruz refused to endorse Republican nominee Donald Trump on Thursday night.

Rachel Chupik, from College Station, who is a Texas delegate for District 17, said the opinions of the delegates were split.

“There were definitely people who were very unhappy that he didn't and others like me who were happy he didn't endorse Trump,” Chupik said.

According to Chupik, she wasn’t surprised about the senator’s decision.

"I honestly didn't expect him to endorse Trump and was proud of him for not doing so, encouraging everyone to go out and vote but vote their conscience is completely in line with conservative principles as with the American philosophy on itself,” Chupik said.

Alternate Delegate Christine Turpin from District 17, her respect for Cruz went up after he didn’t endorse Trump.

“The fact that his principles, his stances were consistent during this trying, that he took the less traveled road, the rarely traveled road for politicians, is something to be applauded,” Turpin said.

Toby Marie Walker, a Texas alternate delegate at large, who said she has always respected the senator and supported him in the primary said her opinion has not changed.

"I don't think it is Ted Cruz or Marco Rubio or any of the former candidates to get votes for Donald Trump. It's Donald Trump's job to earn my vote,” Walker said.

A former News Channel 25 producer and now professional volunteer for GOP-TV at the Republican National Convention Rachel Biggs said the long-term effect of this decision is unknown.

“I think it’s probably too soon to tell of any long term impact would be of his decision last night when he spoke. My understanding is Mr. Trump was aware of the content of his speech so that all went on as planned. There is no way to tell, I don’t think, at this point…what any long-term impact would be for Mr. Cruz or for the election in general," Biggs said.

Biggs said it is not out of the ordinary every delegate doesn’t back the chosen candidate, especially during an election season where there were several GOP candidates for president.

“I don't think there has been any political convention in the history of time that every single delegate has been 100 percent on board with every single delegate. We'll see to what degree that plays [Thursday] but at the end of the day the party has nominated Donald J. Trump and [on Thursday night] we expect him to accept that nomination,” Biggs said.

Biggs anticipated an exciting last night as Trump accepts the nomination from the party.  

“[On Thursday night], I think we’re going to see a lot of energy from the delegates. This is the grand finale in addition to being a great week and a lot of people, a lot of camaraderie and party unification going on. This is the big night and we'll get to hear from Mr. Trump himself,” Biggs said.

News Channel 25 was asked to submit questions prior conducting an interview with GOP-TV but the reporter was allowed to ask additional questions during the interview. 

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