The rivalry between Republican presidential front-ruer Donald Trump and challenger Ted Cruz tued personal Tuesday after the real estate mogul lashed out at a hostile ad featuring his wife Melania.
The ad, paid for by the anti-Trump Make America Awesome PAC, shows a nude photo of Trump's wife from a GQ magazine shoot. Overlying text reads, "Meet Melania Trump, your next first lady. Or you could vote for Ted Cruz on Tuesday."
Liz Mair, a Republican strategist in charge of the PAC, told Buzzfeed News that the Melania ad was one of three targeting Mormons of voting age ahead of Tuesday's Utah caucuses.
Trump deleted an initial response to the tweet, before ultimately posting this message.
Lyin' Ted Cruz just used a picture of Melania from a G.Q. shoot in his ad. Be careful, Lyin' Ted, or I will spill the beans on your wife!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 23, 2016
Cruz shot back with a tweet of his own.
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Pic of your wife not from us. Donald, if you try to attack Heidi, you're more of a coward than I thought. #classless https://t.co/0QpKSnjgnE
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) March 23, 2016
Mair tried to clear up the confusion with her own response to Trump.
.@realDonaldTrump Hi Donald, I know you're really upset about that ad, but it was Make America Awesome's, not Ted Cruz's.
— Liz Mair (@LizMair) March 23, 2016
The Texas senator had the last laugh Tuesday, scoring a convincing victory over Trump in Utah to keep his hopes of wiing the Republican nomination alive.