Yihyun Jeong

The Republic | azcentral.com

Peoria churchgoers had no idea a Republican presidential candidate would make an appearance in their lobby on Sunday until it was announced as the morning service drew to a close.

As it turned out, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz’s last-minute stop at Fresh Start Church was a second chance for many people there who had missed his only previous campaign appearance in Arizona, on Friday.

State Rep. Anthony Kern, R-Glendale, who has been a member of the congregation for seven years, said he received a request from Cruz’s campaign a few hours before the candidate arrived.

“He is a man of God, a man of principles, and the man that will return our country back to the way it was,” Kern said. “We took advantage of a great opportunity to have him speak here today.”

Cruz's unexpected return to Arizona came just two days before the state’s presidential preference election. And his message Sunday was simple, echoing one he delivered at Arizona Christian University on Friday: “A vote for (Ohio Gov. John) Kasich is a vote for Trump.”

“Arizona is a battleground. As the field grows narrow, Trump loses ground,” said Cruz, who is running behind Trump but ahead of Kasich in the race for delegates. “We’re the one campaign that can stop him. A head-to-head battle makes Trump weaker and us stronger.”

Watching nearby with her hands clasped was 80-year-old Virginia Vasser, whose eyes shined as she listened to the candidate speak. Moments before Cruz took the stage, Vasser stood in the middle of the crowd with her white hair barely visible above the shoulders of those standing around her.

“In all my 80 years, I finally made it. I have never been this close to a presidential candidate,” said Vasser, who voted for Cruz on her early ballot.

Upon hearing this, fellow church members helped Vasser push her way to a better view.

“Oh my goodness. Oh my goodness. This is so kind,” she said, as she made her way to the front of the crowd.

Cruz shared anecdotes about his visit Friday to the Arizona-Mexico border. He mentioned his talk with Steven Ronnebeck, whose son, Grant, was shot and killed while working at a Mesa convenience market. The suspect charged with the crime is an undocumented immigrant.

"My No. 1 priority is protecting hardworking taxpayers and protecting Americans," Cruz said, then pivoted to talking points on immigration policy. "I've been fighting against amnesty and promising to build a wall all this time. Donald Trump...he funded the Gang of Eight," a reference to the bipartisan group of senators who crafted immigration reform legislation in 2013.

Misty Larson, 27, said she is supporting the candidate because he sticks to his principles and the Constitution. "We know what we are getting from Cruz. He votes consistently, and he stays true to his values. The Constitution is important to him," Larson said.

Standing beside her mother, 6-year-old Tallulah, voiced her support as well. "Vote Ted Cruz!," she squealed.

Larson said the two had been turned away Friday at the rally because the crowd exceeded the room's capacity. When they heard Cruz would be making another visit, they quickly made their way to the church to meet him in a more intimate setting, she said.

"If Donald (Trump) is our nominee, Hillary (Clinton) wins. So go out there and vote for me 10 times on Tuesday. Just kidding, I'm not a Democrat. I don't believe in voter fraud," Cruz quipped as the crowd laughed.

Directing his remarks to 13-year-old Joshua Haislip, Cruz said, "And if you can't vote, get 10 other people to go and vote. And so before the time you're even 18 years old, you would have voted 10 times."

Haislip said shaking Cruz's hand was "a dream come true," literally. The teen said he dreamed Wednesday night that he met the candidate to voice his support. He was disappointed when he wasn't able to attend the Friday rally.

"Today I got a second chance at meeting someone I believe in," he said.