"I am proud to endorse Ted Cruz," Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker said Tuesday on Charlie Sykes' radio show on WTMJ in Milwaukee. | Getty Scott Walker endorses Ted Cruz 'He is the best-positioned candidate to both win the Republican nomination and defeat Hillary Clinton,' the Wisconsin governor says. 
 
 Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker endorsed Ted Cruz on Tuesday, becoming the latest lawmaker to support the Texas senator as he seeks to emerge as the consensus anti-Trump choice in the Republican primary. 
 
 Walker said on Charlie Sykes' radio show on WTMJ in Milwaukee that he was "proud" to back Cruz, casting his decision as one for Cruz and not against anyone else. 
 
 Story Continued Below 
 
 "After eight years of the failed Obama-Clinton Administration, Americans are looking for real leadership and a new direction. Ted Cruz is a principled constitutional conservative who understands that power belongs to the states — and to the people — and not bureaucrats in Washington," Walker said in a statement released as he announced his decision on Sykes' show. "Just like we did in Wisconsin, Ted Cruz is not afraid to challenge the status quo and to stand up against the big government special interests. He is the best-positioned candidate to both win the Republican nomination and defeat Hillary Clinton. That’s why I endorse Ted Cruz for President of the United States." 
 
 In citing his reasoning for backing Cruz, Walker said, "I just fundamentally believe that he is a constitutional conservative," in addition to favorably comparing Cruz's style and policies as more suitable to the middle of the country. 
 
 "I wanted to make sure I was supporting someone ... I wasn't against someone," said Walker, who said he plans to campaign on behalf of Cruz ahead of the state's primary on April 5. "I want to be for something." 
 
 Cruz appears competitive in Wisconsin, and Walker’s endorsement could help nudge some Republicans currently sitting on the sidelines to get behind Cruz as part of a broader effort to stop Donald Trump. 
 
 Predicting victory for Cruz next Tuesday, Walker said such a performance would put the Texas senator "firmly on path" to claiming the 1,237 delegates necessary to secure the GOP nomination before Cleveland. He also voiced concern for the campaign's negative tone but said the people of Wisconsin “should pride themselves on that we look past the bluster, we look past the national media spin." 
 
 “Governor Walker has been an outstanding leader in the conservative movement and I’m honored to have his endorsement,” Cruz said in a statement. “Gov. Walker courageously stood up to special interests and won in a bitter fight in Wisconsin. His leadership has made a profound impact on the people of Wisconsin and I welcome his advice on how we can unite the Republican Party and defeat Hillary Clinton in November.” 
 
 Cruz, who has opened several field offices in Wisconsin, is spending the beginning of this week campaigning there. The Texas senator will hit two stops in the Milwaukee area on Tuesday with Carly Fiorina before participating in a CNN town hall event later in the evening. Trump has also raised his profile in the state. He is holding a rally in Janesville, the hometown of House Speaker Paul Ryan, who has obliquely rebuked the Republican front-runner multiple times. 
 
 While polling in the state is far from robust, the few surveys that exist have shown Cruz drawing closer to Trump over the past month, with the Manhattan businessman holding a 2-point advantage over his rival in the RealClearPolitics average since mid-February — 32 percent to 30 percent. 
 
 The endorsement from Walker, who has been critical of Trump, signals to other Republicans opposed to the mogul that it’s time to coalesce behind Cruz, said Brandon Scholz, a longtime Wisconsin Republican operative who now runs a governmental and public affairs group. 
 
 "For those Republicans who may be kind of sitting on the fence, saying to themselves, ‘I don’t know if there’s a lot I like about [Cruz], but I also know I don’t like Trump …,’ this probably is the shove they need to get going,” Scholz said. Walker has seen his approval ratings plummet as a result of his presidential campaign, which sputtered to a halt after a series of missteps — and after being routinely drowned out by Trump — last summer. But he remains well-respected among the conservative grass roots and other Republicans in the state. His endorsement of Cruz follows that of Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, who backed Cruz last week after being a vocal supporter of Marco Rubio. 
 
 In an interview the day before Walker’s endorsement, Sykes, who has announced his support for Cruz, described the kind of Republicans who would be swayed by the governor’s endorsement of Cruz as concentrated in the Milwaukee suburbs and as “probably somebody who had supported Walker or Rubio … somebody who would never have imagined they’d be a Cruz supporter. Prior to this, they might have had a long list of people ahead of him. I think that will help.” 
 
 "After the way I beat Gov. Scott Walker (and Jeb, Rand, Marco and all others) in the Presidential Primaries, no way he would ever endorse me!" Trump tweeted Monday. 
 
 Nationally, people who have long track records of clashing with the hard-line conservative Cruz, from Lindsey Graham to Mitt Romney, have also recently voiced support for the senator, citing the need to stop Trump, though Cruz currently has support from only two Senate colleagues. ||||| Play Facebook 
 
 Twitter 
 
 Google Plus 
 
 Embed Scott Walker: 'I am proud to endorse Ted Cruz' 6:23 autoplay autoplay Copy this code to your website or blog 
 
 Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker tipped his hat to Texas Sen. Ted Cruz in the Republican presidential primary. His state is the next to vote, holding its primary on April 5th. 
 
 "I just fundamentally believe that he's a constitutional conservative," he told conservative radio host Charles Sykes on WTMJ radio in Milwaukee. 
 
 Walker was once one of the Republican presidential candidates considered a favorite to win the party's nomination. But after just a few short weeks in the race, the governor in September abruptly dropped out amid financial woes. 
 
 On Monday night, Cruz expressed his hope that Walker would back his candidacy. 
 
 "Of course I would welcome Scott Walker's support, anyone would," Cruz told reporters on Monday evening before a campaign stop in Rothschild, Wisconsin. "Scott Walker's support would be tremendously important." 
 
 Walker told Sykes that "Ted Cruz is the best positioned by far" to win the Republican nomination and then the general election. 
 
 "I'm all in," Walker said. "This is not a default candidate." 
 
 But last week, Walker turned heads when he suggested an open convention would lead to a nominee not that is not Trump, Cruz or Kasich. 
 
 "I think if it's an open convention, it's very likely it would be someone who's not currently running," said Walker, according to Madison's The Capital Times. 
 
 Trump, seemingly preempting Walker's announcement, tweeted on Monday night: "After the way I beat Gov. Scott Walker (and Jeb, Rand, Marco and all others) in the Presidential Primaries, no way he would ever endorse me!" 
 
 Play Facebook 
 
 Twitter 
 
 Google Plus 
 
 Embed Cruz Talks about Walker's Endorsement and Trump 2:12 autoplay autoplay Copy this code to your website or blog 
 
 At a press conference announcing the suspension of his campaign in September, Walker indirectly took a swipe at Trump, saying at the time: "I would encourage other Republican presidential candidates to [also drop out], so that the voters can focus on a limited number of candidates who can offer a positive, conservative alternative to the current frontrunner." 
 
 The process to whittle down the field has taken longer than the Cruz campaign anticipated. It banked on going toe-to-toe with solely Trump by March 15, but with John Kasich still in the race, the campaign is in a dogged fight to at least take the nomination fight to the floor of the Republican convention in July. 
 
 Walker said in the radio interview on Tuesday that he believes a victory in Wisconsin would put Cruz "firmly in the path to getting the 1237 delegate votes required to win the nomination." 
 
 The Cruz campaign brought onboard several top Walker hands, including former top adviser David Polyansky, this fall after the Wisconsin governor dropped out in September. 
 
 Walker has stayed out of the presidential limelight since his failed bid and instead focused on Wisconsin. But Cruz hopes his endorsement is beneficial. He's a controversial governor there who is serving in his second term. 
 
 In his own presidential bid, his financial fortune turned into misfortune as quickly as his poll numbers dropped. He hired too quickly and spent too much money and was unable to stay afloat in the crowded presidential field. ||||| Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker endorses Ted Cruz 
 
 CLOSE Former presidential hopeful Gov. Scott Walker told Newsradio 620 WTMJ host Charlie Sykes that he believes Cruz is the strongest candidate to win the Republican nomination and beat Hillary Clinton. 
 
 Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker made it official Tuesday, endorsing Ted Cruz a week ahead of the state's pivotal Republican primary. 
 
 Cruz is "the best positioned by far" to defeat Donald Trump for the Republican presidential nomination and to win a general election over Democrat Hillary Clinton, Walker told Wisconsin radio talk show host Charlie Sykes. 
 
 "Ted Cruz is a principled constitutional conservative who understands that power belongs to the states — and to the people — and not bureaucrats in Washington," Walker said. 
 
 Cruz, who worked for the endorsement, has said he is "a big, big fan" of the governor, and that he is a "true conservative." 
 
 The endorsement of Cruz is not surprising. Walker said last week that Cruz is the only candidate who can beat Donald Trump, and the Texas senator previously tried to help Walker raise money to pay off his campaign debt. 
 
 Trump did not expect Walker's support, tweeting Tuesday: "After the way I beat Gov. Scott Walker (and Jeb, Rand, Marco and all others) in the Presidential Primaries, no way he would ever endorse me!" 
 
 After the way I beat Gov. Scott Walker (and Jeb, Rand, Marco and all others) in the Presidential Primaries, no way he would ever endorse me! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 28, 2016 
 
 It’s unclear how much the governor's endorsement will help Cruz, who is in a neck-and-neck race with Trump In Wisconsin, according to the RealClearPolitics average. Walker has been underwater on approval ratings in the Badger State for months. 
 
 Walker does remain popular among Republicans. 
 
 Charles Franklin, director of the Marquette Law School Poll, said his surveys show that, among GOP primary voters, Walker has a job approval rating of 77%. 
 
 Walker said he plans to campaign with Cruz ahead of Tuesday's primary. 
 
 Democrats mocked the Walker endorsement, citing the governor's criticism of public employee unions and education budget cuts as well as his failed presidential bid last year and low approval ratings. 
 
 "Now he’s lending that lack of support to Ted Cruz, a candidate every bit as extreme as Trump, but with the added bonus that he cost the economy $24 billion in a wasteful government shutdown — fitting," said Luis Miranda, communications director for the Democratic National Committee. 
 
 Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (Photo: Seth Perlman, AP) 
 
 Read or Share this story: http://usat.ly/1MywyN5 ||||| FILE - In this March 12, 2016, file photo, Republican presidential candidate, businessman Donald Trump speaks in Vandalia, Ohio. Trump wants to win the White House in November. House Speaker Paul Ryan... (Associated Press) 
 
 FILE - In this March 12, 2016, file photo, Republican presidential candidate, businessman Donald Trump speaks in Vandalia, Ohio. Trump wants to win the White House in November. House Speaker Paul Ryan wants to save the Republican Party for the future. Those goals put Trump and Ryan increasingly at odds... (Associated Press) 
 
 BROOKFIELD, Wis. (AP) — Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz won the endorsement of Wisconsin governor — and former GOP rival — Scott Walker Tuesday as all five candidates converged on his state ahead of its key primary. 
 
 Walker said on Milwaukee conservative talk radio that he was backing Cruz over Donald Trump and Ohio Gov. John Kasich because he believes the Texas senator is best positioned to win the GOP nomination and defeat presumed Democratic rival Hillary Clinton. 
 
 The endorsement comes as Trump planned his first Wisconsin campaign stop in House Speaker Paul Ryan's hometown. After the Janesville, Wisconsin, rally Trump was scheduled to join Kasich and Cruz for a CNN town hall in Milwaukee. In the increasingly contentious Democratic race, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and Clinton were campaigning around the state. 
 
 Wisconsin will hold its presidential primary on April 5. 
 
 Walker, a two-term Republican who became the first governor in U.S. history to win a recall election in 2012, had telegraphed his support for Cruz after saying last week he was the only candidate who had a chance to knock off Trump. When Walker ended his short-lived presidential campaign in September, he called for other candidates to join him to make it easier to take out Trump. 
 
 When Walker was running for president, he argued a governor should be the nominee. But he passed over Kasich to support Cruz, who until recently, had failed to garner the same level of support from the GOP establishment. 
 
 "It was an easy call for me to support Ted Cruz," Walker said, highlighting Cruz's fights with both Republicans and Democrats. "This is a guy who has been consistent in his positions and when push comes to shove will stand up for the people he represents over the interests in Washington." 
 
 Cruz supporters erupted in cheers as Walker's radio interview was played live at a rally outside of Milwaukee. 
 
 Trump made clear in a message he posted Monday night on Twitter that he wasn't expecting to land Walker's endorsement. 
 
 "After the way I beat Gov. Scott Walker (and Jeb, Rand, Marco and all others) in the Presidential Primaries, no way he would ever endorse me!" Trump wrote, referring specifically to former contenders Jeb Bush and Marco Rubio. 
 
 It's unclear how much Walker's endorsement will help Cruz, who has also won the backing of influential conservative talk radio hosts in the Milwaukee market that reach into heavily Republican suburban counties. Walker's approval rating hasn't cracked 40 percent in more than a year. 
 
 Wisconsin has 42 delegates, with 18 going to the statewide winner and 24 divided up to the winner in each of the state's eight congressional districts. Kasich has said he hopes to win in a couple congressional districts, as Cruz and Trump battle it out to win the state. 
 
 Kasich was campaigning for votes in suburban Milwaukee, as was Cruz who appeared with Carly Fiorina at a morning rally. On the Democratic side, Clinton was to appear at a gun violence forum in Milwaukee and then head north to Green Bay and west to La Crosse, which is on the Minnesota border. Sanders was stopping in the Milwaukee area and Appleton.
– In a move that USA Today calls "not surprising," Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker offered up his "proud" endorsement for Ted Cruz on Tuesday, and he swears it's a real show of support he's throwing behind the Texas senator, not a protest vote against Donald Trump, Politico reports. "Ted Cruz is a principled constitutional conservative who understands that power belongs to the states—and to the people—and not bureaucrats in Washington," Walker said in a statement timed to be released while he talked about the matter on radio host Charlie Sykes' show on WTMJ. "He is the best-positioned candidate to both win the Republican nomination and defeat Hillary Clinton." Walker added, "I wanted to make sure I was supporting someone, I wasn't against someone. I want to be for something." Cruz, for his part, earlier said he'd be grateful to receive the governor's thumbs-up before the primary is held in Wisconsin on April 5, calling Walker a "terrific governor" and labeling his support as "tremendously important." The AP, however, isn't so sure how vital Walker's endorsement will prove, noting the governor's approval rating hasn't topped 40% in more than a year. But the head of the Marquette Law School Poll says that when only GOP primary voters are considered, that rating swells to 77%. (Cruz probably prefers news like this to news from "sleazy" Donald Trump.)