Ted Cruz chooses sides in Colorado Senate primary

Ted Cruz threw his weight behind Darryl Glenn in Colorado’s crowded Republican primary, his first endorsement since ending his presidential bid.

“I am proud to stand with the grassroots in Colorado supporting Darryl Glenn in his campaign for the U.S. Senate,” the Texas senator said in a statement released by his political office. 

{mosads}“He is a constitutional conservative with the experience to understand what it takes to bring back economic growth and preserve our individual liberties. I am confident he will go to Washington to fight for those values, and he won’t back down.”

Cruz’s support, along with previous nods from the Senate Conservatives Fund and former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, could give Glenn an edge in the primary. Cruz’s office also announced that he will campaign with Glenn on Monday.

Glenn’s campaign has relied on his strong grassroots support, as he qualified for the ballot through a more difficult vote at the state convention instead of through the more common ballot-signature process.

But his fundraising and spending pales in comparison to that of his primary rivals — he’s spent just $7,000 and raised less than $4,000 in the race, and has just $11,000 in the bank ahead of the late June primary.

The victor wins the right to take on Democratic Sen. Michael Bennet in the general election. While Bennet’s seat had been seen at the beginning of the election cycle as a top pick-up opportunity for Republicans, the protracted primary and Bennet’s major fundraising advantage has complicated that calculus.