Few Colleagues Defend Cruz as White House Eligibility Is Questioned

Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz often talks up his frequent clashes with U.S. Senate colleagues. Now, as he faces questions over his eligibility to serve as president, those scuffles may help explain why so few of his fellow senators are rushing to his defense.

Last week, Cruz faced a fresh round of questions about whether his Canadian birthplace precluded him from holding the highest office in the U.S. after rival Donald Trump suggested the issue could lead to a years-long court battle for Republicans. Legal experts—and Cruz himself—say he's eligible for the presidency because his mother was an American citizen, but Trump continues to push the issue and a Florida Democratic lawmaker said he would sue if Cruz becomes the nominee.