In 2012, Ted Cruz was elected as the 34th U.S. Senator from Texas. A passionate fighter for limited government, economic growth, and the Constitution, Ted won a decisive victory in both the Republican primary and the general election, despite having never before been elected to office.

Propelled by tens of thousands of grassroots activists across Texas, Ted�s election has been described by the Washington Post as �the biggest upset of 2012 . . . a true grassroots victory against very long odds.�

National Review has described Ted as �a great Reaganite hope,� columnist George Will has described him as �as good as it gets,� and the National Federation of Independent Business characterized his election as �critical to the small-business owners in [Texas, and], also to protecting free enterprise across America.�

Ted�s calling to public service is inspired largely by his first-hand observation of the pursuit of freedom and opportunity in America. Ted�s mother was born in Delaware to an Irish and Italian working-class family; she became the first in her family to go to college, graduated from Rice University with a degree in mathematics, and became a pioneering computer programmer in the 1950s.

Ted�s father was born in Cuba, fought in the revolution, and was imprisoned and tortured. He fled to Texas in 1957, penniless and not speaking a word of English. He washed dishes for 50 cents an hour, paid his way through the University of Texas, and started a small business in the oil and gas industry. Today, Ted�s father is a pastor in Dallas.

In the Senate, Ted serves on the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation; the Committee on Armed Services; the Committee on the Judiciary; the Joint Economic Committee; and the Committee on Rules and Administration.

Before being elected, Ted received national acclaim as the Solicitor General of Texas, the State's chief lawyer before the U.S. Supreme Court. Serving under Attorney General Greg Abbott, Ted was the nation�s youngest Solicitor General, the longest serving Solicitor General in Texas, and the first Hispanic Solicitor General of Texas.

In private practice in Houston, Ted spent five years as a partner at one of the nation�s largest law firms, where he led the firm�s U.S. Supreme Court and national Appellate Litigation practice. Ted has authored more than 80 U.S. Supreme Court briefs and argued 43 oral arguments, including nine before the U.S. Supreme Court. During Ted�s service as Solicitor General, Texas achieved an unprecedented series of landmark national victories, including successfully defending:

� U.S. sovereignty against the UN and the World Court in Medellin v. Texas;
� The Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms;
� The constitutionality of the Texas Ten Commandments monument;
� The constitutionality of the words �under God� in the Pledge of Allegiance;
� The constitutionality of the Texas Sexually Violent Predator Civil Commitment law; and
� The Texas congressional redistricting plan.

The National Law Journal has called Ted �a key voice� to whom �the [U.S. Supreme Court] Justices listen.� Ted has been named by American Lawyer magazine as one of the 50 Best Litigators under 45 in America, by the National Law Journal as one of the 50 Most Influential Minority Lawyers in America, and by Texas Lawyer as one of the 25 Greatest Texas Lawyers of the Past Quarter Century.

From 2004-09, he taught U.S. Supreme Court Litigation as an Adjunct Professor of Law at the University of Texas School of Law.

Prior to becoming Solicitor General, he served as the Director of the Office of Policy Planning at the Federal Trade Commission, as Associate Deputy Attorney General at the U.S. Department of Justice, and as Domestic Policy Advisor on the 2000 Bush-Cheney campaign.

Ted graduated with honors from Princeton University and with high honors from Harvard Law School. He served as a law clerk to Chief Justice William Rehnquist on the U.S. Supreme Court. He was the first Hispanic ever to clerk for the Chief Justice of the United States.

Ted and his wife Heidi live in his hometown of Houston, Texas, with their two young daughters Caroline and Catherine.

The problem we as "americans" have, is that the republican candidates of late have been rinos or too conservative. Do I think we could use someone like rand paul in office? hell yes. Do I think that cruz or rand paul could win? no. What we need is a step in the right direction, we don't have to knee jerk, and if we present a candidate that is a knee jerk, we won't win the vote.

I believe someone like condaleeza rice would make a good candidate. a black woman would pick up a large enough percentage the black and female votes to have a chance to win. Then maybe couple her with a vp like cruz or paul

Rubio that co authored the Amnesty bill and then ran away from it when he saw it was going to cost him his chance at the presidency?

You realize that one of the greatest authorities on constitutional law today, Judge Andrew Napolitano, said Cruz is unquestionably eligible, right?

A popular opinion that completely defies the political realities of the last 30 years. Can you name me the candidates that were the Republican nominee that would be deemed too conservative? The establishment won't allow a conservative to gain the nomination and the media has convinced conservatives that no real conservative can win and we follow right along and keep voting against our own interest. I'd like to know when I've had a chance to vote for a conservative in the last 30 years because maybe I missed an election somewhere along the way.

Seriously?? The guy that had a hand in pushing a bill to grant amnesty to illegals (though it didn't pass)? Rubio is a RINO just like Jeb, Boehner, and most all the rest. Rand Paul is currently my choice but we shall see what shakes out in the primaries. I like Ted Cruz, but I'm not sure he has what it takes to make it out of the primary though. Him being born in Canada isn't a deal breaker for me. If your policy is sound and you stand on facts then I could care less if you are from Mars. If a candidate is a citizen and qualifies then no worries in my book.

When I read this sentence I thought to myself, what candidate was too conservative?

If a candidate were standing on one foot and leaning, would that foot and leg be heavier?

I'd die for Rand but we know he has a snowballs chance in hell.

Die for a politician? I'll refer to my earlier post.

It's called a figure of speech but apparently your asshole abilities haven't allowed you to see understand that.

Bill, the problem is that �conservative� has become a watered down term that gets applies to anyone in opposition of the left. Just because you are against the left though, you are not a conservative.

There are fiscal conservatives. People who want to operate the country within the confines of a reasonable and low budget. While every Republican will claim this type of conservatism, in reality they only differ from Democrats in WHERE they want to spend the money, not the amount. Very few Republicans are actually trying to cut any spending. Look at the current budget if you need evidence of that.

There are social conservatives. Most of the time, this title is tagged on anyone who claims a religious affiliation. Unfortunately, only about 26% of Americans are evangelical Christians. So when we talk about aligning with God�s will about issues (ex: marriage), we come across as being anti-freedom and limiting personal liberties. That�s hard to sell to the general (non-Christian) population.

I do not believe a strictly social conservative can be elected at this time. The media has done a good job of making us all look like bigots and racists� and we haven�t done ourselves any favors either. This leaves us with fiscal conservatives, but they will never be sent forth by the Republican Party. The reason? A REAL fiscal conservative would slash military budgets. Unfortunately, once you even mention that you are also tagged as �anti-American� and hung out to dry as well.

I think the only hope is a strong fiscal conservative who is relaxed on social issues. You have to make sure the mortgage is paid, or the argument over carpet color is moot. I�m holding hope that Rand Paul might be that guy.

I think Rand has a lot better chance than many assume. You let him get into the debates and see what happens. It's a good thing to not have a ton of attention on him right now. Based on the last few elections, early front runners have gotten crushed in the media, after they started gaining momentum. I think its all about timing. Once the primaries start its like a playoff run. The candidate just needs to get the momentum swinging in their direction and it can mean winning the nomination.

You are preaching to the choir. There is virtually no difference in 98% of Republicans and 100% of democrats. The one person both sides hate worse than anyone is Cruz. That coupled with Cruz background tells me he is the right man. I doubt be threw his raising away just because he married a woman that chose to work for Goldman Sachs. His character was intact long before he met his wife and believe he is still the right man. Rand troubles me on voter ID laws, foreign policy and Amnesty but I haven't written him completely off, yet. I have about 4 guys I would possibly vote for, today. If a RINO gets the nomination I'll work harder than any democrat to destroy his chances.

I say we need another black man in there, maybe Rev Al, or Rev Jackson, or somebody like them.

Ron Paul - 2016

I saw an ad today for Allen West and thought that we may never have another black president for several decades because of the domestic and international rancor Obama has created on both sides of the aisle and even within the Dems.

Part of that, too, likely is the 8-year deal that comes with any two-term president and his party. Folks grow tired.

I care nothing about what color they are but I am interested in their character. Ben Carson has more character than most men, no matter the color.

WE would be better off with a 3 head billy goat than those idots!

How in the heck do I keep finding myself agreeing with a Bam-tard? There may be hope for you after all

I like allen west a lot. He is not afraid to speak his mind, and he spouts some strong stuff towards the welfare state and black woe is me mentality.