Despite Rocky Past, Republican Leader Ed Cox Endorses Donald Trump
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) -- Donald Trump is receiving the endorsement of the head of New York's Republican Party.
Ed Cox, the party's chairman, had vowed to stay neutral before his state's primary on Tuesday.
But Cox, the son-in-law of former President Richard Nixon, announced on Thursday that he would be backing the Republican front-runner.
He said that Trump had "energized Americans who felt disenfranchised'' and ignored by the government.
Trump rolled to victory in the state's primary, winning all but one of the state's counties -- his home of Manhattan.
Trump's 45 percent to 42 percent loss to John Kasich on the island stood in contrast to his dominance across the rest of the state, where he won 61 of 62 counties and regained momentum in the Republican race.
A CBS News exit poll showed that 72 percent of New York Republican voters who cast their ballots for Trump are angry about the government. It found that 72 percent of GOP voters believe the candidate with the most votes should secure the nomination if there is no delegate majority.
Trump and Cox have previously had a strained relationship. The celebrity businessman had criticized Cox for not clearing the Republican field so Trump could run for governor in 2014.
Trump eventually opted against that run. Both men have said their relationship has improved.
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