Donald Trump

U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz Thanks Delegates, Has Yet to Endorse

U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) spoke to his supporters at a public event Wednesday in Cleveland before he is due to address the Republican National Convention in primetime.

People close to Cruz said Cruz is unlikely to endorse Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, though it is not impossible.

Some Cruz supporters waited more than two hours to get in to see the Texas senator on Wednesday morning.

"I have to face a reality the party went a different way. I am here to say thank you," said Sheridan King, a supporter from Texas.

Cruz never mentioned Trump in his speech. But there was a moment even the most skilled political adviser could not have scripted. Cruz said, "Our party has a nominee," and the crowd started booing. And at that exact moment, the Trump plane flew overhead.

Cruz quickly got serious after that, but did not endorse Trump.

"There is a lot of talk about unity. I want to see unity, and the way to see unity is to unite behind shared principles," said Cruz.

The Texas delegation strongly backed Cruz in his race for president.

"I believe that, yes, he should [endorse Trump] for one particular objective, and that is to beat Hillary," said Ken Cope, a delegate from Midlothian.

Not all of Cruz's supporters are ready to support Trump, and some stayed home rather than travel to Cleveland.

"Once it became clear that Sen. Cruz wasn't going to be the nominee and there wasn't going to be a floor fight, or at least it didn't look like there was going to be one, I decided to pass and let others take my place," said Texas Rep. Matt Krause, R-District 93.

"It's a different convention. We haven't seen a lot of unity yet. I think by Thursday, hoping to see that unification," Krause said.

NBC 5's Noelle Walker contributed to this report.

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