Ted Cruz endorses T.W. Shannon in Oklahoma
Shannon was formerly Oklahoma speaker of the House.
Ted Cruz waded into a contested open-seat primary in Oklahoma on Wednesday, endorsing former Oklahoma House Speaker T.W. Shannon over Rep. James Lankford.
Though Cruz has shied away from endorsing Republican Senate incumbents locked in contested primaries, the Texas Republican had no qualms backing Shannon, who is increasingly drawing support from the Republican Party�s right flank in his bid to take the seat of retiring Sen. Tom Coburn. The Cruz endorsement accentuates a growing divide between Senate Conservatives Fund-endorsed Shannon and Lankford, a member of the House Republican leadership.
�T.W. embodies the American dream. I�m proud to offer T.W. my enthusiastic endorsement because not only will he vote the right way, but he�ll stand up and fight with us in the Senate to stop President Obama�s assault on our liberties and defend America�s founding principles,� Cruz said in a statement.
Shannon�s campaign announced that Cruz, Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) and former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin will appear at a rally with Shannon next week, on April 24. A Cruz aide confirmed the senator�s attendance at the rally.
The Shannon endorsement contrasts sharply with Cruz�s refusal to endorse his fellow GOP senators, including Texas colleague Sen. John Cornyn, who Cruz pointedly refused to bless until Cornyn won his primary. Cruz even appeared on stage after Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) at a Palmetto State event Tuesday � but Cruz wouldn�t endorse Graham�s bid for reelection.
�I have said for a long time, I�m likely going to stay out of incumbent Republican primaries � either supporting incumbents or supporting challengers. I�m leaving that to the grassroots,� Cruz said Tuesday. �Every candidate owes it to the grassroots to make the case why he or she is standing for the principles that we elected them to stand for. I trust the grassroots to make those determinations.�
