Ted Cruz endorses Russ Fulcher in Idaho congressional race

U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz has endorsed Republican Russ Fulcher in the Idaho’s open 1st Congressional District.

Cruz, a Republican from Texas, said in a statement distributed by Fulcher’s campaign on Tuesday that voters should carefully consider their choices in the upcoming May primary election and that Fulcher was a conservative with conviction.

Fulcher is a former state senator from Meridian.

GOP congressional hopefuls currently in the race include former Lt. Gov. and former Attorney General David Leroy; state Rep. Luke Malek, a Republican from Coeur d’Alene; Rep. Christy Perry, a Republican from Nampa, and first-time Republican political candidate Michael Snyder.

Idaho’s 1st Congressional District seat is now open after U.S. Rep. Raul Labrador announced he would run for governor in 2018.

The district covers the northern half of the state and snakes down to the western part of the Treasure Valley, including parts of Boise.