Jerry Falwell Jr. officially endorses Trump

A week after heaping praise on Donald Trump before a speech at Liberty University, the school’s president Jerry Falwell Jr. is officially throwing his support behind the Republican presidential candidate.

The backing comes just days before the lead-off caucuses in Iowa. Trump’s top challenger there is Ted Cruz, the son of an evangelical pastor.

Cruz launched his campaign at Liberty and is banking on support from Christian conservatives to push him toward the nomination.

Falwell Jr. praised Trump in an introduction at the school last week, comparing Trump to his late father.

The campaign already had been using Falwell’s remarks in a radio ad.

Cruz says with just six days until the Iowa caucuses, it’s time for voters to decide who they trust.

And without naming names, Cruz said Tuesday that shouldn’t be Trump.

Though he didn’t say Trump’s name during a stop in Osceola, Iowa, Cruz highlighted his Republican rival’s past support for the federal government stimulus package and bank bailout.

Cruz is campaigning with former Texas Gov. Rick Perry and Iowa congressman Steve King.

Trump says Cruz is “nervous” with less than a week to go before Iowa’s lead-off caucuses.

Speaking to MSNBC and FOX News early Tuesday, Trump lashed out at his opponent, calling him “a big mess” and claiming “people have realized he probably can’t even run for president.”

The two Republicans are locked in a tight race in first-to-vote Iowa, but Trump is the national front-runner.

Trump also said the recent endorsement he received from conservative firebrand Sarah Palin “threw an ax into the machinery for Cruz because, man, he expected that endorsement 100 percent.”

Cruz has said that he will continue to be a big fan of Palin’s, regardless who she backs in the campaign. On MSNBC, Trump touted another big endorsement expected later Tuesday.

This story was originally published January 26, 2016 at 3:04 PM with the headline "Jerry Falwell Jr. officially endorses Trump."