Trump camp 'acting like thugs'

Republican presidential hopeful and Texas Senator Ted Cruz has accused opponent and front-runner Donald Trump's supporters of "acting like union boss thugs" in pursuit of the party nomination.

"Donald and his team, it's almost like they're subjects in a course in clinical psychology. The conduct they do, literally, they accuse others of doing," Cruz said during CNN's town hall on Wednesday night.

Citing threats Indiana police have reported against delegates, Cruz said, "We shouldn't be intimidating delegates."

"What Donald doesn't like is losing elections," the Texas senator said.

Cruz also predicted Trump would have trouble getting the support of Republicans at a contested convention.

Asked about considering former presidential rival Marco Rubio for vice president, Cruz did not directly say he was looking at him, but refused to rule him out.

"He is someone that you would be a fool not to look at, he is very, very talented," Cruz said.

Cruz was later joined onstage by his wife, Heidi. She said the decision for Cruz to run for president while raising two young daughters took a lot of thought, but called it "an incredible learning experience".

"We have given them a lot of choices and they wanted to come on the road with us, they wanted to be part of this. I think they understand that it is something bigger than our family," Heidi Cruz said.

Cruz has struggled to find a foothold in New York, and stood by his pre-Iowa caucus attack on Trump's "New York values" last week.

Trump had 54 percent of support among likely New York Republican primary voters, according to a recent Fox News poll, with Ohio Governor John Kasich trailing with 22 percent and Cruz in third place with 15 percent support.