Hundreds of Republicans boo Cruz as he refuses to endorse Trump in RNC speech

Ted Cruz Refuses To Endorse Donald Trump At The RNC
Ted Cruz Refuses To Endorse Donald Trump At The RNC

Ted Cruz became the first speaker at the GOP convention to receive almost universal condemnation from the Republicans, as he ended his speech Wednesday night without endorsing Donald Trump.

The Texas senator, who battled Donald Trump more fiercely than any other Republican hopeful during the primary process, gave a passionate speech extolling conservative virtues and excoriating Hillary Clinton.

SEE ALSO: RNC crowd erupts in cheers as Laura Ingraham challenges 'bruised' former rivals who haven't backed Trump

But he made only one reference to Trump, when he congratulated him on winning the GOP nomination the night before.

See Cruz's address and the crowd reactions:

Conservative pundit Laura Ingraham, who spoke earlier in the evening, seemed to criticize Cruz for failing to fully back Trump, calling on "boys with wounded feelings and bruised egos" to pledge to support Trump now.

According to a report on Twitter, Cruz's wife Heidi had to be escorted out by security after the crowd became enraged at her husband.

"We deserve leaders who stand for principle. Unite us all behind shared values. Cast aside anger for love. That is the standard we should expect, from everybody," Cruz said toward the end of his speech, as members of the crowd began to chant at him.

"Stand, and speak, and vote your conscience, vote for candidates up and down the ticket who you trust to defend our freedom and to be faithful to the Constitution," he said, without ever calling on voters in the room and watching at home to cast ballots for Trump.

Check out the social media reaction to the lack of endorsement:

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