Ted Cruz announces 2016 presidential bid

CNN ^ | March 23, 2015 | Ashley Killough and Jeremy Diamond

[SoConPubbie]

(CNN)Ted Cruz is first out the gate.

The first-term senator from Texas announced early Monday he is running for president.

Cruz announced his candidacy for the Republican presidential nomination in a 30-second video message in a tweet shortly after midnight Monday. Later in the day, he will appear at Virginia's Liberty University, the largest Christian university in the world, where he will make his in-person declaration.

"I'm running for President and I hope to earn your support!" Cruz said in his tweet.

Cruz, 44, will be the first candidate to formally throw his hat in the ring for what's expected to be a crowded GOP primary, with more than a dozen high-profile Republicans expressing serious interest in a White House run.

"It's a time for truth, a time to rise to the challenge just as Americans have always done," Cruz says over clips of American landscapes and people. "It's going to take a new generation of courageous conservatives to help make America great again. And I'm ready to stand with you to lead the fight."

The Houston Chronicle first reported that Cruz would declare his candidacy on Monday, skipping the step of forming an exploratory committee, according to advisers with direct knowledge of his plans.

Cruz, armed with his trademark ostrich boots and impressive oratory skills, has quickly made a name for himself in the past two years since he started in the Senate, solidifying his brand as a conservative firebrand willing to take on establishment Republicans in Washington.

A constant and vocal critic of the Obama administration, he's perhaps best known for his stalwart fight against Obamacare in 2013, which led to a tense standoff between Democrats

[SoConPubbie]

	"If we must have an enemy at the head of Government, let it be one whom we can oppose, and for whom we are not responsible, who will not involve our party in the disgrace of his foolish and bad measures." - Alexander Hamilton "We don't intend to turn the Republican Party over to the traitors in the battle just ended. We will have no more of those candidates who are pledged to the same goals as our opposition and who seek our support. Turning the Party over to the so-called moderates wouldn’t make any sense at all." -- President Ronald Reagan "A thing moderately good is not so good as it ought to be. Moderation in temper is always a virtue; but moderation in principle is always a vice." - Thomas Paine 1792 "It does not take a majority to prevail, but rather an irate, tireless minority, keen on setting brushfires of freedom in the minds of men." - Samuel Adams "If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude better than the animating contest of freedom, go home from us in peace. We ask not your counsels or your arms. Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you. May your chains set lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that you were our countrymen." - Samuel Adams

[SoConPubbie]

Ted Cruz Ping!

If you want on/off this ping list, please let me know.

Please beware, this is a high-volume ping list!

CRUZ or LOSE!

CRUZ or LOSE!

[chris37]

Ted Cruz ✔ @tedcruz Follow I'm running for President and I hope to earn your support! 11:09 PM - 22 Mar 2015 Very exciting! Ted Cruz has my support!

[Politicalkiddo]

His little video was great. :)

[INVAR]

Let’s hope Rand Paul does not siphon away support and spoil Conservative unity.

[Jim Robinson]

Go, Cruz, GO!!

[2ndDivisionVet]

Check out this headline:

Republican Thorn Ted Cruz Announces Run For President
http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2015/03/23/394732942/republican-thorn-ted-cruz-announces-run-for-president

and this one:

Why We Should Ignore Ted Cruz as Much as Possible (Boy, that was quick!)
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-gop/3270912/posts

[stanne]

Well, Rand Paul is not a conservative, so it shouldn’t be a problem.

[Politicalkiddo]

Yeah, he’s just riding on his crazy daddy’s coatails.

[firebrand]

Announcement won’t play. I’m guessing this is because too many millions of people are trying to play it at once.

[stanne]

Whatever he is doing, he is a wingnut. Never know what side of an issue he’ll arrive on

Unpredictable and not conservative. Nothing, really.

[Politicalkiddo]

Sounds like most of the RINO candidates. He’s just another loser.

[latina4dubya]

pingalinga!

[JaguarXKE]

Cruz, 44, will be the first candidate

Will be? Is.

[INVAR]

Rand has paid fealty to McConnell - and therefore a potential weapon for the Ruling Class.

Rand is Libertarian on most things, Conservative in a few, and it is enough to confuse the less-than-informed and the party loyalists who may not like Jeb.

[firebrand]

The 240th anniversary of Patrick Henry’s speech. Give me liberty or give me death. Indeed.

[MichaelCorleone]

<<<”I’m running for President and I hope to earn your support!” Cruz said in his tweet.>>>

You had that a long time ago Senator...a very long time ago.

[Mount Athos]

i guess his presidential run website won’t be live until the liberty university speech

[Windflier]

Go to tedcruz.org and donate if you can. I just did, and it feels damn good.

[CyberAnt]

Please let everybody know Ted will be on with Hannity tomorrow night - Monday.