Former Cruz for President National Co-Chair Opens Door to Trump Endorsement

During a brief appearance on FOX News Channel’s “Your World with Neil Cavuto,” evangelical faith leaders Bob Vander Plaats discussed his take on Donald Trump’s recent “conversation” with more than 900 faith leaders this week in New York City.

And while he said the Republican presidential nominee-in-waiting still had some ways to come to secure the support of concerned evangelicals like himself, he didn’t entirely slam the door shut on a future endorsement. Guest host Charles Payne, who was filling in while Cavuto recovers from open-heart surgery, asked specifically about that door being left open.

“I think one of the big steps, Charles, is who is he going to surround himself with? At the end of the day, personnel is policy,” Vander Plaats said. “What I said many times on many shows is that one of the key indicators is going to be is who does he put forth as his vice presidential pick? Who are some of the Cabinet members going to be?”

He said his organization applauded some of the people Trump put on his initial “short list” of 11 potential Supreme Court nominees. That Trump has relied upon Federalist Society and the Heritage Foundation to help with his selection criteria was also “encouraging,” he added.

Payne then asked Vander Plaats about some comments that have been published in other Christian media, denouncing some of the things Trump said about praying for politicians during the event on Tuesday. Vander Plaats, noted those comments hadn’t come from his organization, or from other faith leaders in attendance.

“We need to praying for everyone,” he said. “As a matter of fact, that’s where cultural transformation happens. We pray for Donald Trump; we also pray for Hillary Clinton. We also pray for Barack Obama.”