Trump Abandons Pledge to Support GOP Nominee, Cruz and Kasich Backpedal

Republican candidates took a "loyalty pledge" to support the party's nominee during the first GOP debate

Through all of the animosity within the GOP presidential race between Donald Trump and Ted Cruz, the two have always begrudgingly agreed on one thing: to support the GOP nominee no matter who would be representing the party come November.

At a CNN town hall event on Tuesday night, Trump reversed on that promise, telling CNN moderator Anderson Cooper he no longer respects the so-called loyalty pledge a stage full of then-candidates agreed to during the very first GOP debate in Cleveland last August.

Cruz has been slowly backing away from the pledge and on Tuesday reiterated his hesitation, telling Cooper: "I'm not in the habit of supporting someone who attacks my wife and attacks my family."

John Kasich gave a string of noncommittal responses. When pressed by Cooper about whether he'd respect the pledge, the Ohio governor said, "If the nominee is somebody that I think is really hurting the country and dividing the country, I can’t stand behind them.”

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