Gov. Scott Walker refused to hit Texas Sen. Ted Cruz for refusing to endorse Donald Trump at Thursday's delegate breakfast, but reiterated that Republicans cannot allow Hillary Clinton to win the White House.
Walker's remarks came on the heels of the prime-time address he gave last night to the full convention. His spirited remarks slammed Clinton and discussed what he calls "Wisconsin's comeback."
"We believe in a country where power is taken back from Washington and returned to the states," Walker said Wednesday. "America deserves better [than Hillary Clinton]."
He used many of the same lines Thursday morning but expanded on the speech to argue that Hillary Clinton would wreak havoc on the U.S. Supreme Court. He also brushed off any mention of his fomer opposition to Trump.
"To me it doesn't matter if he was your first or 17th pick," Walker said, noting he pledged to support the party's nominee last year. "A vote for anyone other than Trump is a vote for Hillary Clinton."
Walker attempted to sidestep Cruz's stunning decision not to endorse Trump in his prime-time remarks the previous night.
"I'll let [Cruz] between now and November justify his positions," he told reporters afterwards.
.@ScottWalker taking questions now pic.twitter.com/Qyz2zcfOR7
— Cardinal Politics (@CardPolitics) July 21, 2016
Cruz doubled down on his remarks last night at an appearance just blocks from where Walker was speaking. He said that personal attacks from the man who bested him in the Republican primary eradicated any pledge he made to support the nominee.
"Whether you want me to or not, I’m not going to lie to you, and what I said last night is what I believe," Cruz told the Texas delegation. "I am not in the habit of supporting people who attack my wife and attack my father."
Walker said he is unconcerned with Trump's past attacks against his own record in Wisconsin.
"In terms of personal attacks, I'm a big boy and I can handle that," Walker said. "I'm interested in doing what is right for my state and my country."
Despite what seems to be a full-throated endorsement of Trump, Walker said he does not necessarily agree with all of the controversial businessman's policies. The governor had previously said he would refrain from endorsing Trump until he apologized for questioning the heritage of a federal judge in a case against the now-defunct Trump University. Trump never apologized for the remarks.
"Is Donald Trump perfect? No ... to support him is not to say I put my stamp on everything he said," Walker said in his remarks.
.@ScottWalker "I stood on debate the podium ... and I said unequivocally that I would support the GOP nominee"
— Cardinal Politics (@CardPolitics) July 21, 2016
