Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz is making a campaign stop Thursday night in St. Paul, including a rally at the Harriet Island Pavilion.

Over the next week, the Texas senator will visit seven states that hold caucuses or primaries on March 1, Super Tuesday. His campaign is billing it the "Take Off With Ted" barnstorming tour.

State Rep. Steve Drazkowski, R-Mazeppa, supports Cruz and said the campaign is building a strong grassroots base in Minnesota.

"The senator realizes there is a lot of support for him in Minnesota," he said. "He would like to build on that support, as he has done in each of the states, the early states."

Cruz won a recent presidential straw poll among Minnesota Republican Party regulars. He got nearly a third of the 283 votes.