Cruz endorses Cornyn for 2020 Senate run

WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, Friday endorsed fellow Texas Republican U.S. Sen. John Cornyn for re-election, bolstering Cornyn's campaign ahead of a decision from Democrat Beto O’Rourke on whether to run again for the Senate and amid reports that Republican Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick is considering running.

In a video and message sent to Cornyn's supporters, Cruz, sitting alongside Cornyn, urged voters to back the senior senator.

"Today, I'm here to ask you to do the same for my dear friend John Cornyn, who worked very hard to support my re-election," Cruz said. Cornyn then said, "In that hostile and forward operating base known as Washington, D.C., Ted and I fight shoulder to shoulder to make the country look more like Texas."

Cruz and Cornyn have been at odds in the past. The junior senator declined to endorse Cornyn in his 2014 primary battle against then-U.S. Rep. Steve Stockman, R-Friendswood — a favor the senior senator returned in the 2016 presidential campaign when Cornyn did not endorse any candidate in the primary.

"The relationship between Cruz and Cornyn has changed a lot in the last couple of years," said Cal Jillson, a Southern Methodist University political science professor. Cruz's earlier confrontational style has receded, especially after his defeat in the presidential primary to Donald Trump. Cruz now is about "reasonable working relationships," Jillson said.

Cornyn, seen as a more moderate GOP voice in Washington and less popular than Cruz among the tea party wing of the Texas Republican party, would be seeking his fourth term in 2020.

"Sen. Cruz’s endorsement represents a warning shot across the bow to any Republican considering a challenge to Sen. Cornyn in the 2020 GOP primary," said Mark Jones, a Rice University political science professor. "It indicates that any challenger to Cornyn can expect to have Cruz working against them, in favor of Cornyn."

"And, to the extent to which it occurred around the same time that Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick was launching a trial balloon for a Senate run, it is likely to be interpreted by many as Cruz firing a dart to pop that trial balloon before it had much of a chance to get off the ground," Jones said.

Patrick aides have denied that he is interested in the U.S. Senate seat. "No sources, no facts, no nothing #pathetic," Patrick political adviser Allen Blakemore tweeted in response to the reports.

Patrick was re-elected to a second term as lieutenant governor last month, winning by 4.9 percentage points, a much narrower margin than in 2014.

Cornyn is a powerful force in Washington where his term is about to end as the No. 2 Republican in the Senate, but he is open about his ambition to be majority leader. "Cruz understands that Cornyn is a major player in the party leadership and a key figure for getting things done in the Senate," said Brandon Rottinghaus, a University of Houston political expert. "Healing past wounds is a step towards reconciliation that helps both senators."

However, for re-election, Cornyn will have to focus on the tea party element that dominates his party in the primaries. "Cornyn's vulnerability is that there are doubts about his conservatism with the Republican base," Jillson said.

At the same time, Cornyn could face the toughest general election battle of his career. O'Rourke fell short in his bid to unseat Cruz by just 2.6 points. The El Paso Democrat is leaving the U.S. House after three terms and has said he is considering a run for president. He has told his inner circle that he isn't interested in running for Senate again, but some Democrats are urging him to do so.

In his note to party stalwarts that accompanied the video, Cruz said, "Let’s be honest, the last election was tough. ... The liberal Democrats and the Washington elites now think they can flip Texas blue. They are going to continue to pour mountains of cash into efforts to unseat those with strong Republican values."