WASHINGTON: Texas senator Ted Cruz, a conservative firebrand who frequently clashes with leaders of his Republican Party, became the first major figure from either party to jump into the 2016 US presidential election race on Monday when he announced his candidacy on Twitter.
“I’m running for President and I hope to earn your support!” Cruz said on his official Twitter page, an unusual forum for presidential candidates to announce such plans.
The message was accompanied by a 30-second video in which Cruz said: “I believe in America and her people, and I believe we can stand up and restore our promise.” American scenes from southwestern landscapes to the Golden Gate Bridge were also shown.
“It’s going to take a new generation of courageous conservatives to help make America great again,” Cruz said, adding that he was ready “to lead the fight.”
Cruz was expected to speak on Monday at Liberty University, an evangelical Christian school in Virginia, according to an aide, giving the Tea Party favorite a head start on what is likely to be a crowded field of Republican White House contenders.
Cruz, 44, has built a reputation as an unyielding advocate for conservative principles in his two years in the Senate. As a presidential candidate, he is likely to portray himself as the most reliable proponent of small government.
“We need to look to people who walk the walk and don’t just talk the talk,” he told the Conservative Political Action Conference in February.
More than a dozen potential presidential candidates are already courting donors and voters in states like Iowa and New Hampshire that vote early in next year’s primary season. But none are expected to enter the race formally until April at the earliest, in order to maximize their advantage under campaign finance laws.
As the lone official candidate, Cruz will get extra attention from the media and voters for several weeks.
But after declaring his candidacy, his political operation will face legal restrictions. He will have to file a fundraising report in mid-April, for example, while others will not have to disclose their finances until mid-July.
While undeclared candidates such as former Florida governor Jeb Bush can solicit million-dollar checks for their political organizations, Cruz will not be able to ask supporters for more than $5,400, the maximum contribution allowed for candidates.
The Canadian-born son of a Cuban immigrant, Cruz would be the first Hispanic in the White House if he won the November 2016 election.
In his time in the Senate, he has sometimes drawn the scorn of senior Republicans. Arizona Senator John McCain, the 2008 Republican presidential candidate, famously called him and other Tea Party lawmakers “wacko birds” in 2013.
Despite – or perhaps because of – his unpopularity in Washington, Cruz’s appeal among grassroots activists has also grown. (Reuters)
