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By: Terresa Monroe-Hamilton

The race for the Republican nomination seems to be turning in Ted Cruz’s favor. Governor Scott Walker just endorsed Cruz during an interview with Wisconsin radio talk show host Charlie Sykes. That’s the same show that nailed Donald Trump yesterday for attacking Cruz over the National Enquirer mud slinging and the attack on Heidi Cruz. “I’ve chosen to endorse Ted Cruz,” Walker said. The endorsement comes ahead of Wisconsin’s presidential primary on April 5th where according to the polls, Ted Cruz now leads Donald Trump by at least 5 points. Cruz is also now virtually tied with Trump in California.

Trump was in for a huge surprise as he called into the Sykes’ show. He was unaware that the show host is part of the #NeverTrump movement — and the conversation was brutal. “Welcome to Wisconsin, and I know you realize that here in Wisconsin, we value things like civility, decency and actual conservative principles, so let’s possibly make some news,” Sykes charged. “You know, wouldn’t it be a good way to start off your Wisconsin campaign by saying that wives should be off limits, and apologize for mocking [Heidi Cruz’s] looks?” Sykes asked Trump. Trump stood his ground, refused and again accused Cruz of lying. “So is this your standard — if the supporter of a candidate and not the candidate himself does something despicable, then it’s OK for you personally, the candidate for president of the United States, to behave in that same way?” Sykes pushed back. “I mean, I expect that from a 12-year-old bully on the playground, not somebody wanting the office held by Abraham Lincoln.” It did not go well for Trump to say the least. Sykes said Trump should apologize… Trump countered saying Cruz started it. Point made.

Trump’s precipitous drop in the polls is surely due to his mudslinging and manipulation of the National Enquirer smear that claimed Cruz had five mistresses. It’s a brazen lie that the Trump camp has pushed relentlessly, while at the same time they have been disparaging Heidi Cruz. Women have noticed and don’t like Trump’s treatment of them in general. Neither do conservatives and the polls are showing it. Notice how Donald Trump smeared and attacked Cruz after his win in Iowa? Then after Cruz won Utah, he blamed Cruz for a pic of his wife that was public domain and that Cruz had nothing to do with the release of. It was a pro-Cruz PAC that floated it. Now that Cruz has taken delegates in Louisiana to tie Trump there, Trump is also threatening to sue Louisiana. I see a pattern here. The same pattern of the National Enquirer smearing Rubio and Carson before attacking Cruz. The whole sordid affair strikes me as telling.

Walker was in the race himself and was the first to exit. On his way out the door, he warned his fellow Republicans about Donald Trump and urged them to coalesce around one other candidate to block Trump from the nomination. Scott Walker said that he had given the endorsement great thought and prayer. He believes Cruz is a principled and common-sense conservative. Walker’s endorsement will carry a great deal of weight in Wisconsin and it would not surprise me if this doesn’t cinch it for Cruz in that state. 42 delegates are at stake – it is not winner-take-all, so it depends on how big his win is.

From Scott Walker:

“After eight years of the failed Obama-Clinton Administration, Americans are looking for real leadership and a new direction,” said Gov. Walker. “Ted Cruz is a principled constitutional conservative who understands that power belongs to the states – and to the people – and not bureaucrats in Washington. Just like we did in Wisconsin, Ted Cruz is not afraid to challenge the status quo and to stand up against the big government special interests. He is the best-positioned candidate to both win the Republican nomination and defeat Hillary Clinton. That’s why I endorse Ted Cruz for President of the United States.”

Cruz issued a statement graciously thanking Walker for his endorsement:

“Governor Walker has been an outstanding leader in the conservative movement and I’m honored to have his endorsement,” Cruz said. “Gov. Walker courageously stood up to special interests and won in a bitter fight in Wisconsin. His leadership has made a profound impact on the people of Wisconsin and I welcome his advice on how we can unite the Republican Party and defeat Hillary Clinton in November.”

Ted Cruz spoke this morning in Wisconsin after Scott Walker’s endorsement, praising Scott Walker and the people of Wisconsin for how they’ve turned their state around. Cruz noted how inspiring it was to see Walker stand up to the Unions in the face of death threats and not back down.

Ahead of the endorsement, 2016 front-runner and businessman Donald Trump mocked Walker on Twitter:

Walker says that Cruz is the best candidate to not only beat Donald Trump, but Hillary Clinton. Walker remains popular among Republicans. Charles Franklin, director of the Marquette Law School Poll, said his surveys show that, among GOP primary voters, Walker has a job approval rating of 77%. Walker said he plans to campaign with Cruz ahead of Tuesday’s primary.

Meanwhile, Ohio Gov. John Kasich’s presidential campaign has tried to work together with Cruz’s campaign to stop GOP front-runner Donald Trump from earning the Republican nomination, but the Cruz campaign has resisted making such a deal, according to a CNN report. CNN’s Dana Bash reported that the storyline “could be ripped from a House of Cards script.” Reportedly, Kasich’s campaign had 2012 Republican nominee Mitt Romney try to broker the back-door deal. Sleaze all the way. In my book, there is only one principled candidate here… one constitutional conservative… and that is Ted Cruz.

I do not believe that Trump will reach the 1237 delegate mark now. We are headed for at the very least a contested convention and possibly a brokered one. Hold on to your hats… it’s going to be a wild ride.