But he also made the most of his moment, heeding his own advice. “Vote for candidates up and down the ticket who you trust to defend our freedom and to be faithful to the Constitution.” 
 
 When it became clear that Cruz was not was not offering a direct endorsement, the crowd broke out in boos that continued for the balance of Cruz's remarks, shouting "We want Trump" as Cruz wrapped his speech. Knew Cruz wouldn't endorse & allowed him to speak & be booed. “We stand here tonight a nation divided. The Texas senator not only failed to endorse Trump at any point during his 23-minute remarks, he also encouraged Republicans to “vote their conscience.” 
 
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 “To those listening, please, don’t stay home in November,” Cruz said, a plea that suggested he was about to endorse Trump. It’s a good launching pad for 2020, but so far he’s mentioned Trump’s name once – in a pro forma congratulation. “And like each of you, I want to see the principles that our party believes prevail in November.” 
 
 But he soon shifted his tone, even referencing his failed White House campaign — as well as the campaigns of all the GOP primary candidates — by explaining “why you and millions like you devoted so much time and sacrifice to this campaign. “The case we have to make to the American people, the case each person in this room has to make to the American people, is to commit to each of them that we will defend freedom and be faithful to the Constitution.” 
 
 “We will unite the party,” he continued. And I am convinced America is going to come back, too,” Cruz said at the outset of his remarks, which came directly before those of the nominee’s son, Eric Trump. “And citizens are furious — rightly furious — at a political establishment that cynically breaks its promises and that ignores the will of the people.” 
 
 “We deserve an immigration system that puts America first, and yes, build a wall to keep America safe,” he said, sparking chants to build a wall. Mississippi state Rep. Becky Currie blasted Cruz, calling him “stupid” after proving that he “apparently only thinks of himself.” 
 
 “If he came here to really unite the party, he would have stood behind the candidate the people chose," Currie, who shouted “Trump” with others in the crowd as Cruz finished his speech, told POLITICO. Clinton can’t.
– Ted Cruz stood before the third night of the Republican National Convention on Wednesday with an entire convention center awaiting the answer to the question: Will he endorse Donald Trump or won't he? The answer came late in a speech that was well received until the end. "We stand here tonight a nation divided," Trump's final Republican rival opened, before congratulating Trump on winning the nomination. But as Cruz's prime-time speech, which focused on freedom, neared its finish, it became clear he would not endorse the GOP nominee, proclaiming that Republican voters should not stay home in November, but rather "vote your conscience." As chants of "We want Trump!" broke out among the crowd, Cruz replied, per Politico, "I appreciate the enthusiasm of the New York delegation." Or as Andrew Sullivan put it at New York, "open war is breaking out, as the crowd is beginning to shout Cruz down." Trump himself appeared side-stage, seemingly to suck oxygen from Cruz's moment. Writes Sullivan: "Cruz leaves to a massive wall of hostile noise."