Trump and Cruz bury the hatchet\, rally together in Texas

(ROUGH CUT - NO REPORTER NARRATION) U.S. President Donald Trump set aside his old feud with Senator Ted Cruz on Monday and headlined a packed rally to help the fellow Republican in his tight race in Texas with rising Democratic star Beto O'Rourke just two weeks before the Nov.

6 elections.

During the 2016 campaign when both were competing for the Republican presidential nomination, the race grew bitter at times, with Trump dubbing Cruz "Lyin' Ted" and Cruz calling Trump a "sniveling coward." Monday's rally in Houston was the first time Trump threw all his muscle into helping Cruz fend off O'Rourke, even though Cruz has opened a lead in opinion polls on O'Rourke.

Having given Cruz a new nickname, "Beautiful Ted," Trump reviewed their 2016 battle when he took the podium after the two men embraced.

"You know we had our little difficulties," he said.

"I tell you what, nobody has helped me more ... than Senator Ted Cruz."