HOUSTON - President Donald Trump hit the campaign trail in Texas again, this time campaigning for a former competitor of his, Sen. Ted Cruz. 

  • President Donald Trump campaigns for Sen. Ted Cruz in Houston Monday
  • Event came following bitter acrimony between the two 
  • Crowd inside Houston's Toyota Center estimated at 16,000

The pair spouted bitter words and name-called when they were both running for president, but Trump has changed his tune, even calling Cruz “beautiful Ted” before he boarded his plane to Houston.

Before the at-capacity event, a line snaked through downtown Houston for blocks. Some Trump supporters claimed their spot a full 24 hours before the rally began. 

While the event was a campaign rally for Cruz as he fights to hold tight his seat in the U.S. Senate from his Democratic challenger, Beto O’Rourke, it was clear that the president was evening’s main attraction. But the president did speak on the Senate race that’s caught the attention of the entire nation, calling O'Rourke a phony and criticizing his voting record. 

"O'Rourke voted against your tax cuts, and he went against Texas oil workers with the job-killing regulations and taxes that were really, really hurting those jobs," Trump said.  

Trump also used his time at the podium to thank Cruz for supporting now Justice Brett Kavanaugh during his contentious hearing that came after sexual assault accusations surfaced against him.  ​

On the campaign trail for his own presidency, Trump didn’t have much good to say about Cruz, calling him "Lyin’ Ted." But both Trump and Cruz have said those insults are in the past; Trump fully endorses Cruz and his fight to keep his seat.  In fact, for the first time Cruz said he plans to campaign for Trump in 2020. 

This rally was reportedly the largest in Trump’s history with approximately 16,000 supporters inside the Toyota Center, and another 10,000 to 15,000 who weren’t able to get in the doors, according to Trump staffers. However, Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo on Twitter estimated the crowd gathered outside the venue at about 3,000.  

According to supporters, the rally was all in the name of keeping Texas red as Cruz holds tight through O’Rourke’s momentum just two weeks out from Election Day.