Ted Cruz Saturday thanked voters in Kansas for handing him a caucus victory in his quest for the Republican presidential nomination — saying that the win proved that "people are waking up" across the country.
"The scream you hear, the howl that comes from Washington, D.C., is utter terror at what we the people are doing together," the Texas senator told supporters in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. "The last couple of weeks have been extraordinary."
He noted that last year as many as 17 candidates were vying for the nomination. "It was a terrific, talented, deep field.
"Then, over the course of the year, the field narrowed. And it narrowed. And it narrowed."
He said that the Super Tuesday results "were extraordinary" — adding that Saturday's triumph proved that conservatives are "coming together.
"What we're seeing is Republicans coming together," he added. "What we're seeing is libertarians coming together. What we're seeing is men and women who love freedom and love the Constitution coming and uniting and standing as one behind this campaign.
"Every one of us here understands that our country is in crisis."
Cruz later told reporters that he was the only rival to beat front-runner Donald Trump "more than once" and that other candidates should coalesce behind him — particularly Marco Rubio.
"The field needs to continue to narrow," he said. "As long as the field is divided, that gives Donald an advantage.
"What I hope and believe will happen is that as other candidates are not able to win … there comes a point where other candidates, other campaigns, have to prayerfully consider, 'Do I have a path going forward?'
"I hope that happens."
Looking to the March 15 primary in Rubio's home state — Florida — Cruz said that "we are competing vigorously in Florida.
"We'll be campaigning on the ground in Florida. We have a great base of support in Florida. We have an incredible grass-roots team.
"We're contesting Florida vigorously and every state across this country vigorously."