Changes

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]], at which 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>

As a student at [[Harvard Law School]], Cruz was more of a [[libertarian]] than a social conservative.<ref>[https://www.huffingtonpost.com/metro/what-was-ted-cruz-like-at_b_6941178.html "What was Ted Cruz like at Harvard?"] (May 30, 2015). Huffington Post website/''Metro New York'' blog.  See [[Huffington Post]].</ref>  He graduated ''magna cum laude'', with his ''Juris Doctor'' degree.

As a student at [[Harvard Law School]], Cruz was more of a [[libertarian]] than a social conservative.<ref>[https://www.huffingtonpost.com/metro/what-was-ted-cruz-like-at_b_6941178.html "What was Ted Cruz like at Harvard?"] (May 30, 2015). Huffington Post website/''Metro New York'' blog.  See [[Huffington Post]].</ref>  He graduated ''magna cum laude'', with his ''Juris Doctor'' degree.

Cruz is a [[Southern Baptist Convention|Southern Baptist]], married with two children.  Ted Cruz broke his pledge to support the 2016 GOP nominee.

Cruz is a [[Southern Baptist Convention|Southern Baptist]], married with two children.   

==Texas Solicitor General==

==Texas Solicitor General==

Cruz served as Solicitor General for the state of [[Texas]].  While Solicitor General, Cruz was involved with court cases such as ''[[Medellin v. Texas]]'', ''[[Elk Grove Unified School District v. Newdow]]'', ''[[League of United Latin American Citizens v. Perry]]'', ''[[Van Orden v. Perry]]'', and ''[[D.C. v. Heller]]''.

Cruz served as Solicitor General of Texas.  In that capacity, he was involved with court cases such as ''[[Medellin v. Texas]]'', ''[[Elk Grove Unified School District v. Newdow]]'', ''[[League of United Latin American Citizens v. Perry]]'', ''[[Van Orden v. Perry]]'', and ''[[D.C. v. Heller]]''.

==Senate career==

==Senate career==

==2018 reelection bid==

==2018 reelection bid==

In his bid for a second term in the Senate in the November 6 general election, Cruz faces Democratic U.S. Representative [[Beto O'Rourke]] of [[El Paso]]. In the primary held on March 6, 2018, Cruz defeated four weak intra-party opponents. He polled 1,317,450 votes (85.3 percent). In the Democratic primary, O'Rourke received 641,337 votes (61.8 percent). Some 506,000 more Republicans voted in the Texas primary than did Democrats. The liberal O'Rourke, who unlike Cruz is not Hispanic, is believed to be a potentially strong opponent because of favorable media coverage, strong fund-raising, large crowds at campaign rallies, and respectable opinion polling. O'Rourke is said to resemble "a Kennedy," referring to the popular [[Massachusetts]] family of politicians. In July, the magazine ''Politico'' declared that "Beto-mania" was sweeping Texas, an early warning to Senator Cruz that he could yet be unseated in a "blue wave" across the Lone Star State.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2018/07/09/beto-mania-sweeps-texas-218961|title=Beto-mania Sweeps Texas|publisher=''Politico'' magazine|date=July 9, 2018|author=Ben Schreckinger|accessdate=July 13, 2018}}</ref>

In his bid for a second term in the Senate in the November 6 general election, Cruz narrowly defeated the Democratic outgoing U.S. Representative [[Beto O'Rourke]] of [[El Paso]]. In the primary held on March 6, 2018, Cruz defeated four weak intra-party opponents. He polled 1,317,450 votes (85.3 percent). In the Democratic primary, O'Rourke received 641,337 votes (61.8 percent). Some 506,000 more Republicans voted in the Texas primary than did Democrats. The liberal O'Rourke, who unlike Cruz is not Hispanic, is believed to be a potentially strong opponent because of favorable media coverage, strong fund-raising, large crowds at campaign rallies, and respectable opinion polling. O'Rourke is said to resemble "a Kennedy," referring to the popular [[Massachusetts]] family of liberal politicians. In July, the magazine ''Politico'' declared that "Beto-mania" was sweeping Texas, an early warning to Senator Cruz that he could be unseated in a considerable "blue wave" across the Lone Star State.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2018/07/09/beto-mania-sweeps-texas-218961|title=Beto-mania Sweeps Texas|publisher=''Politico'' magazine|date=July 9, 2018|author=Ben Schreckinger|accessdate=July 13, 2018}}</ref> The "blue wave in Texas toppled more than a dozen state legislators and two U.S. Representatives. It also produced Democratic sweeps in the large urban areas, particularly at the judicial level.

''Texas Conservative Review'', edited in Houston by Gary M. Polland, in August 2018 called upon Cruz to conduct a more active campaign than he has done thus far to retain his Senate seat:

''Texas Conservative Review'', edited in Houston by Gary M. Polland, in August 2018 called upon Cruz to conduct a more active campaign than he had done thus far to retain his Senate seat:

<blockquote>

<blockquote>

…Conservatives are increasingly concerned about the fate of Senator Ted Cruz. The race is a critical one on the ballot. Cruz's opponent, left-wing Congressman O'Rourke is out-running Cruz, out-campaigning Cruz and out-personalizing Cruz. Where is the beef, we are asking what happened to making this race about Texas vs. California values? What happened to making the race about Cruz's mainstream values vs. O'Rourke's out-of-step leftist values? Where is the Ted Cruz we know and love from his campaign six years ago and from his campaign for President?<br>

…Conservatives are increasingly concerned about the fate of Senator Ted Cruz. The race is a critical one on the ballot. Cruz's opponent, left-wing Congressman O'Rourke is out-running Cruz, out-campaigning Cruz and out-personalizing Cruz. Where is the beef, we are asking what happened to making this race about Texas vs. California values? What happened to making the race about Cruz's mainstream values vs. O'Rourke's out-of-step leftist values? Where is the Ted Cruz we know and love from his campaign six years ago and from his campaign for President?<br>

==Quote==

==Quote==

* "Tonight's speech was less a State of the Union and more a state of denial." (January 12, 2016)

* "Tonight's [[Barack Hussein Obama]] speech was less a State of the Union and more a state of denial." (January 12, 2016)

* "If standing for liberty and standing for the Constitution makes you a wacko bird, then count me a proud wacko bird." (A response to [[John McCain]]'s attack on conservatives<ref>[https://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2013/03/16/ted-cruz-count-me-a-proud-wacko-bird/ Cruz: 'Count Me a Proud Wacko Bird' for Standing with Rand], [[Breitbart.com]]</ref>

* "If standing for liberty and standing for the Constitution makes you a wacko bird, then count me a proud wacko bird." (A response to "moderate" [[John McCain]]'s attack on conservatives<ref>[https://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2013/03/16/ted-cruz-count-me-a-proud-wacko-bird/ Cruz: 'Count Me a Proud Wacko Bird' for Standing with Rand], [[Breitbart.com]]</ref>

==Books==

==Books==