Via NBC:
With Donald Trump’s path to the nomination looking wider by the day, a number of top Republicans are signaling their willingness to support his candidacy — even some who have fiercely criticized him in the past.
This softening opposition indicates that the GOP establishment is reaching the “acceptance stage” of the grieving process, even as Sen. Ted Cruz and his new running mate Carly Fiorina try to mount a last stand in Indiana.
The shift reflects the intensity of loathing for Cruz among elements of the party as much as it does their begrudging acceptance of Trump. The firebrand conservative has failed to secure significant support from his colleagues in Washington even after emerging as the leading Trump alternative in March.
Cruz did manage to gain an endorsement from Indiana Gov. Mike Pence on Friday. In announcing his decision, however, Pence lavished praise on Trump for channeling “the frustration of millions of working Americans,” suggesting he was wary of criticizing the likely nominee.