Peter King: 'I'll Take Cyanide' If Ted Cruz Got The Nomination
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Rep. Peter King, R-N.Y., will go to drastic lengths if Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, gets the Republican presidential nomination.
Speaking to MSNBC on New York's primary day, the congressman said he would poison himself if the Texas senator prevails at the convention in July.
"Well, first of all, in case anybody gets confused, I'm not endorsing Ted Cruz. I hate Ted Cruz. And I think I'll take cyanide if he got the nomination," King said.
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The Republican congressman said he voted for Ohio Gov. John Kasich in the Republican primary to "send a message."
"I think you are going to see Donald Trump scoring a big victory tonight," King told MSNBC. "I do not endorse Donald Trump. In fact, I actually voted by absentee ballot for John Kasich. I'm not endorsing John, but I voted for him to really send a message."
King added that even though he voted for Kasich, he's not endorsing him.
"First of all, it's not a fear, I endorsed Marco Rubio and he lost and I stopped that now. With John Kasich, if I thought that John Kasich had a viable chance, I'd come out and endorse him. But I want to keep my powder dry because this may go to the convention."
King believes Trump will secure the nomination, and suggested "he's got to get more substance."
"The likelihood is Donald Trump is going to be at the nomination. I want Donald Trump to know that if he wants to support our Republicans, he's got to get more substance, he's got to really learn what he's talking about," King said, adding that Kasich would be a good choice for vice president.
The latest CBS News battleground tracker shows Trump with a 33-point lead over Cruz – 54 to 21 percent. Kasich was polled at 19 perc ent.
There are 95 delegates up for grabs in Tuesday's primary.
According to CBS News, Trump has accrued 755 delegates – 1,237 are needed to secure the nomination. Cruz is at 554, while Kasich has 143.