TX Senator Ted Cruz defends his RNC speech
CLEVELAND, OH -- Ted Cruz says he won't vote for Hillary Clinton, but he's not promising to endorse Donald Trump, "like a servile puppy."
The Texas senator was heckled Thursday morning as he spoke to his home state delegation to the Republican National Convention.
Cruz says he'll "watching and listening" but won't "sit down, shut up, support the team."
Cruz adds that he doesn't intend to "throw rocks" at Trump, but he's not ready to endorse him.
RELATED: Ted Cruz loudly booed during speech at RNC
He adds that, "We either stand for shared principles or we're not worth anything."
Cruz and Trump have significant bad political blood between them. Trump nicknamed him, "Lyin' Ted" and implied that Cruz's father, Raphael, had a connection to President John F. Kennedy's assassin, Lee Harvey Oswald. Trump also criticized the appearance of Cruz's wife, Heidi.
He adds, "I am not in the habit of supporting people who attack my wife and attack my father."
FULL VIDEO OF TED CRUZ'S SPEECH
Cruz was booed offstage during his address to the GOP convention Wednesday night when it became clear that his speech would not include an endorsement of Trump.
Delegates on the floor began chanting "endorse Trump" after the Texas senator told the crowd to "vote their conscience" in November.
"To those listening, please, don't stay home in November. If you love our country, and love your children as much as I know you do, stand, and speak, and vote your conscience, vote for candidates up and down the ticket who you trust to defend our freedom and to be faithful to the Constitution," Cruz said.
Heidi Cruz was escorted out of the convention hall following her husband's speech.
