Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio talk after a Republican presidential primary debate on Jan. 28, 2016, in Des Moines, Iowa. | AP Photo Rubio nears Cruz endorsement But the former rivals first have to decide if they think it will make any difference.

Marco Rubio is close to endorsing Ted Cruz, but the two proud senators — and recent fierce rivals — have some details to work out first.

Cruz has to ask for Rubio’s endorsement, and both sides need to decide that it will make a difference, according to sources familiar with the thinking of both senators.


Rubio and Cruz, who are more friendly with each other in the Senate than they are with longer-serving colleagues, occasionally chatted and patched up their sometime-rocky relationship on the campaign trail heading into Florida’s primary Tuesday, when Rubio was blown out by Donald Trump and subsequently quit the presidential race.

The buzz about a Rubio endorsement of Cruz intensified after the St. Paul Pioneer Press on Thursday reported that the Florida senator called his Texas colleague “the only conservative left in the race.”

Rubio, who returned to work Thursday in the Capitol, told reporters “I don’t have any announcement on that today” when asked about a Cruz endorsement. Rubio indicated, though, that he might have something to say soon.

“There’s time to prevent a Trump nomination, which I think would fracture the party and be damaging to the conservative movement,” Rubio said, stressing that he’s not interested in being anyone’s vice-presidential pick or running for Florida governor.

Except for immigration reform and some foreign-policy disagreements, Cruz and Rubio have similar conservative voting records in the Senate. While their votes more often jibe than conflict, they have differed more when it comes to tactics and media strategy.

Pressure is also mounting on Rubio for his support from conservative activists, a group of whom met Thursday to discuss how to block the frontrunner from the GOP nomination.

Former rivals and critics have been increasingly reaching out to Cruz – notably South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham, who once said that the choice between Cruz and Trump was “the difference between being poisoned or shot.” On Thursday, Graham announced he was backing Cruz and would fundraise for him.

Rubio hadn’t been as harsh about Cruz on the campaign trail, but he did repeatedly accuse the Texan of lying.

“There’s a difference between criticizing someone for the way they criticize your record and criticizing someone who’s a fake conservative and a demagogue who incites violence,” a longtime Rubio backer said. “We don’t want this guy [Trump] leading our party.”

If Trump becomes the nominee and loses, Rubio and Cruz might run for president again in 2020. Some have privately questioned whether Rubio wants to endorse a once and future rival, but a Rubio adviser dismissed the speculation as inaccurate and misplaced. Rubio is more concerned with stopping Trump and making his endorsement count.

“He doesn’t want to look like Jeb Bush,” said a Rubio backer. “By the time Jeb quit, he had no credibility and his endorsement meant nothing, which is part of the reason we suspect he didn’t endorse Marco in Florida. It wouldn’t have helped, and we didn’t want it anyway.”

Cruz’s campaign wouldn’t confirm or deny the discussions with Rubio or his supporters. But one adviser made it clear that Cruz would appreciate Rubio’s support.

“Obviously, there are a lot of conversations going on with a lot of people, and that includes Rubio’s people,” a Cruz adviser said. “Look, if Lindsey Graham is endorsing Ted that should tell you something.”