Ted Cruz campaigns in Raleigh - scraps expected rally
RALEIGH (WTVD) -- Senator Ted Cruz made a campaign stop in Raleigh on Tuesday. He was expected to hold a rally at the Calvary Baptist Church and School, but left after doing a town-hall style question and answer session with FOX News anchor Megyn Kelly in front of the cheering audience.
Cruz didn't waste any time going after frontrunner Donald Trump. When asked whether he would ever ask his supporters to take a loyalty pledge like Trump did at his campaign rally in Concord on Monday, he said no.
"I raise my hand and I take an oath to you, to the people," he said while raising his right hand. "That's who's working for whom. And the idea that a candidate running for office wants the people to pledge loyalty to him like subjects to a king, well, we've had seven years of a president who thinks he's an emperor."
The campaign told ABC11 the rally was scrapped because the senator was running late.
The Cruz visit came a day after his rival Trump was interrupted by protesters at a rally in Concord, near Charlotte. Trump is also scheduled to make an appearance in Fayetteville on Wednesday.
Cruz is trailing Trump in the race for delegates. A candidate would need the backing of 1,237 delegates to win the Republican nomination; both Cruz and Trump are short of that goal.
In an effort to reach undecided voters, Cruz appealed to those who may have been throwing their weight behind one of the many candidates who are no longer in the race. He also pointedly asked voters backing Marco Rubio or John Kasich, to unite behind him instead.
"None of them have a path to beating Donald Trump," said Cruz. "If you don't want to see Donald Trump as the nominee and if you don't want to see Hillary Clinton as the president which is the inevitable result of Donald Trump being the nominee, come join us. Let us stand together."
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By the end of the town hall, those who came in already supporting Cruz seemed to have their feelings solidified by what they heard from the Texas senator.
Brian Downer of Jacksonville, N.C., brought his wife and children to the event in Raleigh.
"More and more, Trump is being revealed for who he is," Downer said. "Cruz has been the same person since day one in the Senate."
Christian George, 21, also came out to see Cruz.
"I've always wanted someone really conservative and to have true values of the American people actually in mind when they actually go to Washington, and that is something that I am not seeing in a lot of different candidates," George said.
Cruz left the town hall and immediately made his way to Kannapolis for another campaign event.
In the Democratic race, Hillary Clinton has 1,130 delegates to Bernie Sanders' 499, including superdelegates. It takes 2,383 delegates to win the Democratic nomination.
On Monday, Former President Bill Clinton was also in Raleigh to campaign for his wife at an 'Early Vote' organizing event where he urged North Carolinians to vote ahead of the March 15 primary.
