|Bypassed the exploratory committee process and instead made his formal announcement of candidacy on March 23, 2015.<ref>http://www.c-span.org/video/?324979-1/ted-cruz-presidential-campaign-announcement</ref> Has gained in the polls since the first debate. | |Bypassed the exploratory committee process and instead made his formal announcement of candidacy on March 23, 2015.<ref>http://www.c-span.org/video/?324979-1/ted-cruz-presidential-campaign-announcement</ref> Has gained in the polls since the first debate. |