NASHVILLE — Fresh off GOP presidential hopeful Ted Cruz's Monday night victory in Iowa's caucuses, the head of U.S. Sen. Cruz's Tennessee campaign says it has the "strongest ground game" going in the Volunteer State.

The campaign also sought to provide new momentum here by announcing an additional nine Tennessee legislators who are endorsing the Texas Republican, bringing the total legislative endorsements to 18.

That's "10 more legislators than the next closest GOP candidate," Stephen Siao, Cruz state director, said in an email to reporters. We will also announce a county chair for each of TN's 95 counties, which no other campaign has achieved this cycle, and no GOP campaign achieved in 2012 or 2008.

"We have," Siao declared, "the strongest ground game by far of any GOP campaign in TN."

The list of new endorsements includes state Sen. Janice Bowling, R-Tullahoma, and state Sen. Jim Tracy, R-Shelbyville.

Others are: state Sens. Mark Green, R-Clarksville; Joey Hensley, R-Hohenwald; Frank Niceley, R-Strawberry Plains; Rep. Tilman Goins, R-Morristown, and Rep. Ron Lollar, R-Memphis.