Ted Cruz booed after declining to endorse Donald Trump

U.S. Senator Ted Cruz was booed at the Republican National Convention, after he declined to endorse the party's presidential nominee Donald Trump and urged people to vote their conscience.

Anti-Trump Republican delegate Ken Cuccinelli said he escorted Cruz's wife Heidi off the convention floor in Cleveland out of concern for her safety.

"During the course of the speech more and more people were coming down closer and closer to Heidi and (Ted Cruz's father) Rafael. When the speech ended, there was an ugly crowd behind us. She was trying to leave," Cuccinelli said.

Cruz, who came in a distant second behind Trump in the race for the nomination, stopped short of endorsing Trump after a bitter and personal campaign and mentioned him only once, drawing boos and repeated chants of "We want Trump."

Reacting to his refusal to endorse him, Mr Trump said Mr Cruz had broken a promise to back the party's white house choice.