WASHINGTON — In front of a highly supportive crowd at the Values Voter Summit, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) accused Democrats on Friday of being an “extreme, radical party” intent on taking away the rights of Americans.

“These are dangerous, radical times,” Cruz said at the conservative conference, where he received multiple standing ovations during a 30-minute speech that touched on everything from gun rights, Obamacare and abortion to the persecution of Christians around the globe.

Cruz said the U.S. is fundamentally a center-right nation and that he expects the GOP to take back the Senate this year, and the White House in 2016.

Among other things, the senator criticized Democrats for the so-called birth control mandate in Obamacare, and for fighting groups who have sought exemptions because they say it goes against their values. He said former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, a potential 2016 presidential candidate, should be forced to spend a day debating the group of nuns from Little Sisters of the Poor Home for the Aged who are going against the mandate.

“As for me, I’ll stand with the nuns,” he said.

UPDATE: 11:25 a.m. -- The Democratic National Committee responded to Cruz in a statement, saying they're happy to debate him on whether Democrats are truly "radical."