Why Bernie Sanders will back Clinton and Ted Cruz might shun Trump


Ted Cruz returned to the Senate on Tuesday for the first time since dropping out of the Republican presidential race, and he pointedly refused to endorse the man who beat him, Donald Trump. Bernie Sanders, bolstered by his win Tuesday night in West Virginia and a friendly slate of states coming up, has said he will stay in the race against Hillary Clinton until "the last votes are counted." But his prospects are pretty dim, given Clinton's near-insurmountable delegate lead. The two senators have different incentives regarding whether to play nice with the candidates who beat them.
For Cruz, the decision on what to do about Trump is wrapped up in his relationship with his fellow Republicans — he is "arguably the most reviled man in Washington, or at least he was before Trump," notes Amber Phillips at The Washington Post — and his hopes for 2020. "Cruz carefully spent years building his into a national brand," chief obstructionist, and "to start from zero would leave Cruz with very little political capital in this town — not to mention risk making him look like a chameleon with no true convictions," Phillips says. That gives him a strong incentive to shun Trump:
Imagine it's Nov. 9, 2016, the day after Election Day. Trump just got creamed by President-elect Hillary Clinton. And Republicans blame themselves for not nominating a true conservative. In that all-too-real possibility, it's easy to see an opening for a guy like Cruz — who has impressively wielded parliamentary tools and committed to bold actions to craft himself as one of the last true conservative leaders in America — to become the party's favored standard-bearer for 2020. [Phillips, The Washington Post]
Sanders, on the other hand, "already has all the reasons he could possibly need to give Clinton his full-throated support," says Matthew Yglesias at Vox. Trump and Cruz disagree on policy, but Clinton and Sanders basically agree, Yglesias says, so a Clinton win would advance Sanders' policy goals. More to the point, Sanders has also made himself into a power player on the national stage — "but essentially all of that influence hinges on Clinton winning the election in November." You can read more at The Washington Post and Vox.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
Scottish hospitality shines at these 7 hotels
The Week Recommends Sleep well at these lovely inns across Scotland
By Catherine Garcia, The Week US Published
-
Scientists invent a solid carbon-negative building material
Under the radar Building CO2 into the buildings
By Devika Rao, The Week US Published
-
Crossword: April 1, 2025
The Week's daily crossword
By The Week Staff Published
-
Trump 'not joking' about unconstitutional 3rd term
Speed Read The president seems to be serious about seeking a third term in 2028
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
The JFK files: the truth at last?
In The Spotlight More than 64,000 previously classified documents relating the 1963 assassination of John F. Kennedy have been released by the Trump administration
By The Week Staff Published
-
Supreme Court upholds 'ghost gun' restrictions
Speed Read Ghost guns can be regulated like other firearms
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Trump sets 25% tariffs on auto imports
Speed Read The White House says the move will increase domestic manufacturing. But the steep import taxes could also harm the US auto industry.
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Trump allies urge White House to admit chat blunder
Speed Read Even pro-Trump figures are criticizing The White House's handling of the Signal scandal
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Waltz takes blame for texts amid calls for Hegseth ouster
Speed Read Democrats are calling for Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and national security adviser Michael Waltz to step down
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Judge: Nazis treated better than Trump deportees
speed read U.S. District Judge James Boasberg reaffirmed his order barring President Donald Trump from deporting alleged Venezuelan gang members
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
US officials share war plans with journalist in group chat
Speed Read Atlantic editor Jeffrey Goldberg was accidentally added to a Signal conversation about striking Yemen
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published