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Ted Cruz broke with Trump and backed Rebecca Kleefisch, the opponent of Trump-backed Tim Michels.
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Trump is going to Wisconsin in August to frolic for Michels.
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In May, Cruz backed Mo Brooks, a congressman who once had the support of the former president.
sen. Ted Cruz has broken again with former President Donald Trump by backing an opponent of a Trump-backed candidate participating in Wisconsin’s gubernatorial primary.
Cruz on Tuesday tweeted his support for Rebecca Kleefisch, writing: “Rebecca will fight for a stronger economy, choice of school so parents can take charge of their children’s education again, and she will work to protect life and our #2A. Support Rebecca’s campaign today !”
The Texas legislature, in particular, did not support Tim Michels, Trump’s pick for the race. Trump had endorsed Michels in June, calling him “a very successful businessman.”
“If Wisconsin has the wisdom to make Tim their next governor, it will be an unprecedented success!” read Trump’s statement at the time.
Trump will visit Waukesha on August 5 to steamroll for Michels — just four days before the August 9 vote.
Representatives from Trump’s post-presidential news agency did not immediately respond to Insider’s request for comment.
Cruz’s support for Kleefisch marks his second notable break with the former president in terms of political support.
In May, Cruz tripped over his GOP colleague, Rep. Mo Brooks, who ran for a Senate seat in Alabama. In a speech, Cruz mocked Republicans who swore allegiance to Trump, while praising Brooks.
By contrast, in March, Trump withdrew his endorsement of Brooks, saying the congressman “woke up” during the 2020 election. Until then, Brooks had been known as a staunch ally of Trump.
Brooks’ unsuccessfully appealed for Trump’s re-approval and lost his primary in June, after which he said he would testify about the Capitol riots if subpoenaed.
Other GOP figures have used endorsements to challenge Trump’s control of the party.
For example, the outgoing Maryland government Larry Hogan denounced Trump-backed candidate and election denier Dan Cox, calling him unfit for office. Cox eventually defeated Kelly Schultz, a Hogan-backed moderate GOP candidate, in the Maryland primaries,
In May, former Vice President Mike Pence ran into incumbent Georgia GOP Governor Brian Kemp in his race against his Trump-backed challenger, David Perdue. Kemp defeated Perdue to face Democratic candidate Stacey Abrams. Trump’s PAC later claimed without substantiation that Kemp won the Georgia primaries solely because of voter fraud.
Pence now backs Karrin Taylor Robson for the GOP governmental nomination in Arizona. Robson runs against Trump-approved Kari Lake,
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