Cruz fires back on citizenship, says McCain is trying to help Rubio

by Jesse Byrnes - 01/07/16 4:59 PM ET

Sen. Ted Cruz (Texas) is firing back at Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) for suggesting there are questions about Cruz’s eligibility to run for president.

Cruz brushed off McCain’s suggestion that it was “worth looking into” the issue, saying the 2008 GOP nominee is simply trying to help Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) win the Republican nomination.

{mosads}”I think it is no surprise to anybody that John McCain is going to be supporting Marco Rubio in this election,” Cruz told Bloomberg’s Mark Halperin on “With All Due Respect.”

“It’s no surprise at all that he’s trying to do what he can to help the candidate that he’s favoring who he thinks shares policy positions with him,” Cruz added.

McCain, who faced similar eligibility questions during his 2008 bid, argued during a local radio program in Arizona on Wednesday that there is a difference between him and Cruz.

Cruz was born in Canada to an American mother. McCain was born on a U.S. military base in Panama.

“So I think there is a question. I am not a Constitutional scholar on that, but I think it’s worth looking into. I don’t think it’s illegitimate to look into it,” McCain said.

Cruz has argued that he is eligible for the presidency and a “natural born citizen” as stipulated by the Constitution after rival Donald Trump questioned his eligibility on Tuesday.

McCain had endorsed Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) for president, but Graham dropped out of the race last month after failing to gain traction in the polls.

Cruz and McCain have clashed frequently in the Senate, with McCain once calling Cruz and Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) “wacko birds.”

Tags 2016 GOP primary Donald Trump John McCain Lindsey Graham Marco Rubio Rand Paul Ted Cruz