Ted Cruz, a first-term firebrand Senator from Texas, known to be a darling of Tea Party conservatives but a lightning rod to liberals, has become the first Republican to announce his candidacy for the 2016 US presidential race. The 44-year-old Cruz, a Hispanic with a Cuban father and an American mother, is but one of possibly 15 or more Republicans intending to throw their hats into the ring in the coming weeks and months.
And, right now, Cruz is among those figuring at the bottom of a crowded field in which former Florida Governor Jeb Bush is widely regarded as the Republican front-runner to take on Hillary Clinton. Neither Bush nor Clinton have yet announced their decision to run, but both are expected to do so soon enough. “I’m running for President and I hope to earn your support,” Cruz said, announcing his bid on Twitter on Monday and following it up with an appearance at Virginia’s liberty University. He was quick to thrust his ultra-conservative credentials. Attacking President Obama’s policies on a broad front, he said: “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.”
Cruz says that, as president, he will abolish “Obamacare”, Obama’s signature healthcare overhaul. In 2013, Cruz had shot into limelight with a 21-hour tirade as he sought to filibuster Obamacare. He was also in the forefront of the campaign that led to a 17-day shutdown of the federal Government over the issue. At his liberty University kickoff, Cruz also announced that he, if elected, would undo Obama’s “unconstitutional amnesty” that lays out a legal path to citizenship for some 5 million illegal immigrants.