Changes

In the Texas Senate primary elections of May 29, 2012, Cruz finished second to Lieutenant Governor David Dewhurst, but the nine-candidate Republican field forced a run-off.  On July 31, Cruz defeated Dewhurst in a second round of voting. Cruz easily defeated [[Democratic Party|Democrat]] former State Representative Paul Sadler in the general election.

In the Texas Senate primary elections of May 29, 2012, Cruz finished second to Lieutenant Governor David Dewhurst, but the nine-candidate Republican field forced a run-off.  On July 31, Cruz defeated Dewhurst in a second round of voting. Cruz easily defeated [[Democratic Party|Democrat]] former State Representative Paul Sadler in the general election.

==Early Life==

==Early life==

Cruz's father [[Rafael Bienvenido Cruz]] fought alongside [[Fidel Castro]] during the [[Cuban Revolution]] and was imprisoned three years later for his political activities. In 1957, he escaped to the [[United States]]. Today he is a pastor in [[Dallas]]<ref>{{cite web |author=Cruz, Ted|url=http://www.frontpagemag.com/2013/frontpagemag-com/senator-ted-cruz-confronting-the-threat-of-radical-islam/ |title="Senator Ted Cruz: Confronting the threat of radical Islam" |work=FrontPage Magazine |date=May 20, 2013 }} See [[FrontPage Magazine]]</ref>. Cruz's mother is an American. After Cruz's birth in [[Alberta]], Canada, the family moved to Texas.  

Cruz's father [[Rafael Bienvenido Cruz]] fought alongside [[Fidel Castro]] during the [[Cuban Revolution]] and was imprisoned three years later for his political activities. In 1957, he escaped to the [[United States]]. Today he is a pastor in [[Dallas]].<ref>{{cite web |author=Cruz, Ted|url=http://www.frontpagemag.com/2013/frontpagemag-com/senator-ted-cruz-confronting-the-threat-of-radical-islam/ |title=Senator Ted Cruz: Confronting the threat of radical Islam |work=FrontPage Magazine |date=May 20, 2013 }} See [[FrontPage Magazine]]</ref> Cruz's mother is an American. After Cruz's birth in [[Alberta]], Canada, the family moved to Texas.  

Cruz attended [[Princeton]] where he authored a senior thesis on the [[9th Amendment|9th]] and [[10th Amendment|10th]] Amendments to the [[United States Constitution]], titled "Clipping the Wings of Angels".<ref>[https://archive.org/details/480888-cruz-thesis Ted Cruz's 1992 Princeton Undergrad Thesis], "Clipping the Wings of Angels"</ref>

Cruz attended [[Princeton]] where he authored a senior thesis on the [[9th Amendment|9th]] and [[10th Amendment|10th]] Amendments to the [[United States Constitution]], titled "Clipping the Wings of Angels".<ref>[https://archive.org/details/480888-cruz-thesis Ted Cruz's 1992 Princeton Undergrad Thesis], "Clipping the Wings of Angels"</ref>

==Senate career==

==Senate career==

Cruz was elected as a member of the Senate in 2012. Beginning on September 24, 2013, Cruz gave a 21-hour speech on the senate floor against [[Obamacare]]. The speech greatly boosted his national profile and led to denunciations from the [[liberal media]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/25/opinion/the-embarrassment-of-senator-ted-cruz.html |title="The embarrassment of Senator Ted Cruz"|publisher=''New York Times'' website|date=September 24th, 2013}}  See [[New York Times]]</ref>

Cruz was elected as a member of the Senate in 2012. Beginning on September 24, 2013, Cruz gave a 21-hour speech on the senate floor against [[Obamacare]]. The speech greatly boosted his national profile and led to denunciations from the [[liberal media]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/25/opinion/the-embarrassment-of-senator-ted-cruz.html |title=The embarrassment of Senator Ted Cruz|publisher=''New York Times'' website|date=September 24, 2013}}  See [[New York Times]]</ref>

==Campaigns financed by substantial pro-[[homosexual]] donations==

==Campaigns financed by substantial pro-[[homosexual]] donations==

== Judicial nominees ==

== Judicial nominees ==

Ted Cruz recommended Judge Gregg Costa for nomination and confirmation to the [[Fifth Circuit|U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals]].<ref> [http://www.cruz.senate.gov/?p=news&id=1288 "''Dallas Morning News'': Senate confirms Cornyn and Cruz pick for appeals court"] (May 20, 2014).  Ted Cruz U.S. Senate webpage/Press office/News.</ref>  As a Senator from Texas, Cruz could have blocked the nomination.  Instead, Cruz's support made it happen.

Ted Cruz recommended Judge Gregg Costa for nomination and confirmation to the [[Fifth Circuit|U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals]].<ref>[http://www.cruz.senate.gov/?p=news&id=1288 "''Dallas Morning News'': Senate confirms Cornyn and Cruz pick for appeals court"] (May 20, 2014).  Ted Cruz U.S. Senate webpage/Press office/News.</ref>  As a Senator from Texas, Cruz could have blocked the nomination.  Instead, Cruz's support made it happen.

Within five months of his confirmation in May 2014, Judge Costa then voted in favor of rehearing [[Planned Parenthood]]'s case in their attempt to reverse a Fifth Circuit's ruling that had upheld the pro-women, pro-life Texas House Bill 2, a good law that resulted in the closure of roughly half the abortion clinics in Texas.  Judge Edith Jones and the majority of the Fifth Circuit outvoted Costa on the petition for rehearing ''en banc'' in ''Planned Parenthood of Greater Tex. Surgical Health Servs. v. Abbott''.<ref>{{Cite court|litigants=Planned Parenthood of Greater Tex. Surgical Health Servs. v. Abbott|url=http://www.ca5.uscourts.gov/opinions/pub/13/13-51008-CV2.pdf|vol=Vol. 769|reporter=''Federal Reporter'', 3rd series|opinion=Opinion 330|pinpoint=p. 2|date=October 9, 2014|court=United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit}}  Retrieved from United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit website on February 6, 2016.</ref>

Within five months of his confirmation in May 2014, Judge Costa then voted in favor of rehearing [[Planned Parenthood]]'s case in their attempt to reverse a Fifth Circuit's ruling that had upheld the pro-women, pro-life Texas House Bill 2, a good law that resulted in the closure of roughly half the abortion clinics in Texas.  Judge Edith Jones and the majority of the Fifth Circuit outvoted Costa on the petition for rehearing ''en banc'' in ''Planned Parenthood of Greater Tex. Surgical Health Servs. v. Abbott''.<ref>{{Cite court|litigants=Planned Parenthood of Greater Tex. Surgical Health Servs. v. Abbott|url=http://www.ca5.uscourts.gov/opinions/pub/13/13-51008-CV2.pdf|vol=Vol. 769|reporter=''Federal Reporter'', 3rd series|opinion=Opinion 330|pinpoint=p. 2|date=October 9, 2014|court=United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit}}  Retrieved from United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit website on February 6, 2016.</ref>

On March 23, 2015, Cruz became the first person to announce his candidacy for the [[Republican]] nomination for president in [[2016 presidential election|2016]] in a speech before an audience at [[Liberty University]].<ref>[http://www.c-span.org/video/?324979-1/ted-cruz-presidential-campaign-announcement "Ted Cruz presidential campaign announcement"] (March 23, 2015). C-SPAN video, 38:18.  See [[C-SPAN]]</ref> The predictable liberal media immediately went on the offense claiming he has no chance but was in awe of his speech without [[teleprompter]]s.{{fact}} His wife would take a leave of absence from her job at Goldman Sachs to join her husband on the campaign trail. This decision left his family without health insurance. Cruz, by law, has to be insured and took Obamacare coverage. This drove the media batty at the irony of railing against Obamacare but using it.{{fact}} Simply put, this does not mean he endorses Obamacare; rather, it shows his commitment to follow the rule of law.

On March 23, 2015, Cruz became the first person to announce his candidacy for the [[Republican]] nomination for president in [[2016 presidential election|2016]] in a speech before an audience at [[Liberty University]].<ref>[http://www.c-span.org/video/?324979-1/ted-cruz-presidential-campaign-announcement "Ted Cruz presidential campaign announcement"] (March 23, 2015). C-SPAN video, 38:18.  See [[C-SPAN]]</ref> The predictable liberal media immediately went on the offense claiming he has no chance but was in awe of his speech without [[teleprompter]]s.{{fact}} His wife would take a leave of absence from her job at Goldman Sachs to join her husband on the campaign trail. This decision left his family without health insurance. Cruz, by law, has to be insured and took Obamacare coverage. This drove the media batty at the irony of railing against Obamacare but using it.{{fact}} Simply put, this does not mean he endorses Obamacare; rather, it shows his commitment to follow the rule of law.

Cruz would raise $4 million in donations after the first week of his announcement. Liberal media jaws hit the floor when it was learned he raised $31 million in one week from [[PAC]]s<ref>{{cite web |last=Boyle |first=Matthew |url=http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2015/04/08/mark-halperin-unprecedented-31-million-super-pac-effort-backing-ted-cruz-for-president/ |title="Mark Halperin: Unprecedented $31 million super PAC effort backing Ted Cruz for president"|publisher=Breitbart News Network/Big government|date=April 8, 2015 }} See [[Breitbart News Network]]</ref>.

Cruz would raise $4 million in donations after the first week of his announcement. Liberal media jaws hit the floor when it was learned he raised $31 million in one week from [[PAC]]s.<ref>{{cite web |last=Boyle |first=Matthew |url=http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2015/04/08/mark-halperin-unprecedented-31-million-super-pac-effort-backing-ted-cruz-for-president/ |title=Mark Halperin: Unprecedented $31 million super PAC effort backing Ted Cruz for president|publisher=Breitbart News Network/Big government|date=April 8, 2015 }} See [[Breitbart News Network]]</ref>

====Eligibility====

====Eligibility====

==Political positions==

==Political positions==

Cruz opposes [[illegal immigration]]<ref>[http://www.ontheissues.org/international/Ted_Cruz_Immigration.htm "Ted Cruz on immigration"] (January 20, 2015).  On the Issues website.</ref>, [[gun control]] and [[homosexuality]]. He is [[pro-life]]<ref>{{cite web |last=Bair |first=Andrew |url=http://www.lifenews.com/2013/06/05/pro-life-senator-ted-cruz-to-address-national-right-to-life-convention/ |title="Pro-life Senator Ted Cruz to address National Right to Life Convention" |publisher=LifeNews.com|date= June 5, 2013 }}  See [[LifeNews.com]]</ref>, supports the [[death penalty]]<ref>[http://www.ontheissues.org/senate/Ted_Cruz.htm#Crime "Ted Cruz on the issues/Ted Cruz on crime"] (February 2015).  On the Issues website.</ref> and believes that the [[USA]] should not get involved in the [[Syrian Civil War]]<ref>{{cite web |last=Tomasky |first=Michael |url=http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2013/09/09/marco-rubio-ted-cruz-and-their-craven-and-brazen-hypocrisy-on-syria.html |title="Marco Rubio, Ted Cruz, and their craven and brazen hypocrisy on Syria"|work=The Daily Beast |date=September 9, 2013 }}  See [[The Daily Beast]]</ref>.

Cruz opposes [[illegal immigration]],<ref>[http://www.ontheissues.org/international/Ted_Cruz_Immigration.htm "Ted Cruz on immigration"] (January 20, 2015).  On the Issues website.</ref> [[gun control]] and [[homosexuality]]. He is [[pro-life]],<ref>{{cite web |last=Bair |first=Andrew |url=http://www.lifenews.com/2013/06/05/pro-life-senator-ted-cruz-to-address-national-right-to-life-convention/ |title=Pro-life Senator Ted Cruz to address National Right to Life Convention |publisher=LifeNews.com|date= June 5, 2013 }}  See [[LifeNews.com]]</ref> supports the [[death penalty]]<ref>[http://www.ontheissues.org/senate/Ted_Cruz.htm#Crime "Ted Cruz on the issues/Ted Cruz on crime"] (February 2015).  On the Issues website.</ref> and believes that the [[USA]] should not get involved in the [[Syrian Civil War]].<ref>{{cite web |last=Tomasky |first=Michael |url=http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2013/09/09/marco-rubio-ted-cruz-and-their-craven-and-brazen-hypocrisy-on-syria.html |title=Marco Rubio, Ted Cruz, and their craven and brazen hypocrisy on Syria|work=The Daily Beast |date=September 9, 2013 }}  See [[The Daily Beast]]</ref>

Cruz has effectively criticized [[RINO]]s, calling them "squishes."<ref>{{cite web |last=Weiner |first=Rachel |url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2013/04/29/ted-cruz-mocks-squishes-in-republican-party/ |title="Ted Cruz mocks Senate Republican ‘squishes’"|work=Washington Post|date=April 29, 2013 }} See [[Washington Post]]</ref>

Cruz has effectively criticized [[RINO]]s, calling them "squishes."<ref>{{cite web |last=Weiner |first=Rachel |url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2013/04/29/ted-cruz-mocks-squishes-in-republican-party/ |title=Ted Cruz mocks Senate Republican ‘squishes’|work=Washington Post|date=April 29, 2013 }} See [[Washington Post]]</ref>

==Best selling author==

==Best selling author==

[[The New York Times|The ''New York Times'']] has engaged in a scheme to keep Cruz's book off of its bestseller list.<ref>{{cite web |last=Howerton |first=Jason |url=http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2015/07/09/despite-stellar-sales-new-york-times-keeps-ted-cruzs-new-book-off-bestseller-list-heres-the-excuse-given/ |title="Despite stellar sales, ''New York Times'' keeps Ted Cruz’s new book off bestseller list—here’s the excuse given"|publisher=The Blaze website|date=July 9, 2015 }} See [[The Blaze]].</ref>  At issue was the practice of some politicians to pre-purchase a large quantity of books for use by their campaigns with the hope that those purchases would place the books on the bestseller list for one week.  The ''New York Times'' tries to exclude those bulk campaign purchases from the totals used to determine which books have the top sales. The question is whether the bestseller list shows what books the public buys rather than which books the politicians give away.

[[The New York Times|The ''New York Times'']] has engaged in a scheme to keep Cruz's book off of its bestseller list.<ref>{{cite web |last=Howerton |first=Jason |url=http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2015/07/09/despite-stellar-sales-new-york-times-keeps-ted-cruzs-new-book-off-bestseller-list-heres-the-excuse-given/ |title=Despite stellar sales, ''New York Times'' keeps Ted Cruz’s new book off bestseller list—here’s the excuse given|publisher=The Blaze website|date=July 9, 2015 }} See [[The Blaze]].</ref>  At issue was the practice of some politicians to pre-purchase a large quantity of books for use by their campaigns with the hope that those purchases would place the books on the bestseller list for one week.  The ''New York Times'' tries to exclude those bulk campaign purchases from the totals used to determine which books have the top sales. The question is whether the bestseller list shows what books the public buys rather than which books the politicians give away.

==Quote==

==Quote==

* [[Salazar v. Buono]]

* [[Salazar v. Buono]]

==External Links==

==External links==

* [http://www.tedcruz.org/ Official Senate campaign website]

* [http://www.tedcruz.org/ Official Senate campaign website]

* [http://www.facebook.com/tedcruzpage facebook page]

* [http://www.facebook.com/tedcruzpage facebook page]

[[Category:114th United States Congress]]

[[Category:114th United States Congress]]

[[Category:Tea Party Movement]]

[[Category:Tea Party Movement]]

[[Category: 2016 Presidential Candidates]]

[[Category:2016 Presidential Candidates]]

{{Conservatism}}

{{Conservatism}}

{{DEFAULTSORT: Cruz, Ted}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cruz, Ted}}

[[Category:Pro Second Amendment]]

[[Category:Pro Second Amendment]]

[[Category:Best Selling Authors]]

[[Category:Best Selling Authors]]