Speaking to conservative Christian broadcaster Janet Mefferd, Sen. Ted Cruz bragged about the support he’s getting from antigay crusaders like the Family Research Council’s Tony Perkins and the National Organization for Marriage.

He believes they support him because he knows the Supreme Court’s “disastrous” and “fundamentally illegitimate” marriage equality decision has led to “unprecedented” persecution for Christians.

“We are seeing an assault on religious liberty from Washington that is unprecedented,” he said, claiming that “these threats are growing and growing.”

“Much of this persecution is the fruit of the Supreme Court’s disastrous gay marriage ruling last year,” he said, adding that it’s “very sad” that some of his GOP rivals called the Obergebell ruling “settled law.”

“I believe that decision was fundamentally illegitimate, it was lawless, it was unconstitutional and it will not stand. And I would note, that is precisely why Dr. James Dobson has endorsed me in this campaign, it is why Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council has endorsed me in this campaign, it’s why the National Organization on Marriage [sic] has endorsed me on this campaign and has said it cannot support Donald Trump or Marco Rubio because if we’re not willing to defend marriage, we are giving up the foundational building blocks of the family, we’re giving up the Judeo-Christian values that built this great nation.”

h/t: Right Wing Watch