President-elect Donald Trump faced a decision for his cabinet that can only be called unique. His arch-enemy rival for the Republican nomination Trump frequently called “Lying Ted,” told confidantes he’s interested in serving as attorney general in the Trump administration, according to two sources familiar with the conversations.
This is the same man who called the now president-elect “despicable,” and loudly proclaimed that conventioneers and Americans alike should “Vote their conscience” during his guest appearance at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland last July. It boggles the mind that Cruz would be in consideration for anything in Trump’s world, right?
Nevertheless, the idea that the Texas senator could become attorney general began Tuesday after Cruz met Trump and Vice President-elect Mike Pence at Trump Tower in Manhattan. Shortly after, Cruz also wandered into the office of Trump’s chief strategist Steve Bannon for an impromptu meeting, according to a source close to Bannon.
Most consider Sen. Jeff Sessions(R-Ala.), an early supporter of the businessman, to be the likely choice for attorney general. But is there an idea that Cruz could help unite two factions of the Republican Party with a feisty Harvard Law grad? It would certainly eliminate his wildly independent nature in the Senate where he is loathed by both sides of the aisle.
Cruz is interested. In private, the Texan told several confidantes that he wanted the job. Cruz is a pro-life constitutional conservative with deep support from influential conservative leaders. Penny Nance, the president of Concerned Women for America said, “I have sent messages over to the transition that I am praying for a pro-life Attorney General and Secretary of HHS. If I were making a dream team of a presidential cabinet, Ted Cruz would be the Attorney General.”
Brent Bozell, a conservative leader with close ties to Cruz and the pro-Trump Mercer mega-donor family, said “It would be a way of really tightening up relations with the Never Trumpers,” he added. “It would be a strong move. Ted Cruz would return integrity to that position, which is one of the most damaged offices as a victim of Obama’s politics. Ted Cruz is perhaps more qualified than anyone in America.”
Cruz will likely run for reelection in 2018 if he stays in the Senate. But then again, Cruz may be hearing footsteps from Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas) who would be a strong challenge to his senate seat.
What could have been in Cruz’s favor relating to the attorney general post if he eventually changed his mind and endorsed Trump. In addition, in the final days of the general election he campaigned on Trump’s behalf. He praised and defended the president-elect; though sources close to both Trump and Cruz say the two will probably never be close. That may be the understatement of the year.
