Declared 2016 GOP candidate: Ted Cruz

USATODAY

Show Caption Hide Caption Ted Cruz announces presidential run in 2016 | Why It Matters USA TODAY's Washington Bureau Chief Susan Page explains four reasons why Ted Cruz's presidential run matters.

Profile

Ted Cruz won a U.S. Senate seat in Texas in 2012. His general election victory followed an upset win in the Republican primary over Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, who was favored by much of the party establishment, including Gov. Rick Perry. Cruz previously served as solicitor general of Texas. He held posts with the Federal Trade Commission and Justice Department during the George W. Bush administration, and he clerked at the Supreme Court for Chief Justice William Rehnquist.

Latest news

• January 2016: Ted Cruz: GOP 'establishment' looking to Trump

• January 2016: Picking Cruz or Trump like 'being shot or poisoned,' Graham says

• January 2016: Fact check: Ted Cruz on birthright citizenship

• January 2016: Bob Dole on Ted Cruz: 'Nobody likes him'

• January 2016: Trump: Cruz missteps 'worse than Hillary'

• January 2016: Gov. Branstad says he wants Ted Cruz defeated in Iowa

• January 2016: Graham: Cruz threw GOP 'under the bus' with government shutdown

• January 2016: Cruz, Rubio super PACs ramp up advertising in race to Iowa

• January 2016: Rand Paul lashes out at Ted Cruz ... with a cartoon

• January 2016: Cruz, Trump fight it out in early primary states

• January 2016: Donald Trump, Ted Cruz continue newfound feud

• January 2016: Texas lawyer files 'birther' lawsuit against Ted Cruz

• January 2016: Ted Cruz blasts 'New York Times' article

• January 2016: Cruz turns tables on Trump with citizenship question

• January 2016: Duck Dynasty star Phil Robertson endorses Ted Cruz

• January 2016: Before he was an outsider, Cruz was inside famous recount fight

• January 2016: Cruz releases birth certificate — his mother's

• January 2016: Ethanol questions dog Ted Cruz in Iowa

• January 2016: GOP poll: Cruz leads in Iowa, Trump in N.H.

• January 2016: Cruz warns Iowa conservatives against intraparty fight

• January 2016: Cruz, Carson to report strong fundraising quarters

• December 2015: Ted Cruz calls on Oregon activists to 'stand down'

• December 2015: Cruz, Carson to report strong fundraising quarters

• December 2015: GOP Power Rankings: Trump and Cruz lead the pack

• December 2015: Cruz to spoof Christmas 'infomercial' in Iowa during SNL

• December 2015: Paper pulls cartoon showing Cruz's children

• December 2015: Committee won't investigate Cruz debate comments

• December 2015: Cruz, Rubio battle each other, ignore Trump

• December 2015: Cruz, Paul, Rubio tangle over security, surveillance

• December 2015: Cruz wants Trump to pay for his wall

• December 2015: Cruz seeks donations for Walker

• December 2015: Cruz launches 'Star Wars' contest

• December 2015: National poll: Trump ahead, Cruz rising

• December 2015: USA TODAY GOP Power Rankings: Cruz the new king

• December 2015: Why Bob Vander Plaats chose Cruz

• December 2015: Iowa Poll: Cruz soars past Trump into lead among GOP

• December 2015: Battle brewing between Ted Cruz, Donald Trump

• December 2015: Ted Cruz uses faith freely on campaign trail

• December 2015: Marco Rubio, Ted Cruz battle to become Trump alternative

• December 2015: Ted Cruz is positioned to win Iowa, insiders say

• December 2015: Poll: Ted Cruz takes lead in Iowa

• December 2015: Cruz: Carpet bomb Islamic State ‘into oblivion’

• December 2015: Cruz: California shootings underscore that U.S. is at war

• December 2015: Fact check: Ted Cruz on violent criminals and Democrats

• December 2015: GOP poll: Trump ahead, Carson down, Rubio and Cruz gaining

• December 2015: Cruz: When it comes to dictators, U.S. should mind its own business

• December 2015: Cruz: Trump won't be the GOP nominee

• December 2015: USA TODAY GOP Power Rankings: Cruz makes his move

• November 2015: Cruz recites 'Princess Bride' lines at Iowa church

• November 2015: In Iowa, Cruz pushes for 99 counties

• November 2015: Poll: Trump regains Iowa lead, just ahead of Cruz

• November 2015: Cruz's come-from-behind 2012 win could influence his presidential bid

• November 2015: Cruz to Obama: 'Insult me to my face'

• November 2015: Cruz outlines busy White House agenda

• November 2015: Cruz has Perry-like moment when saying which agencies he'd eliminate

• November 2015: Kasich and Cruz battle over bank bailouts

• October 2015: Cruz gets biggest cheers at Iowa GOP festivities

• October 2015: Cruz and others blast CNBC, media over debate

• October 2015: Cruz offers to be nation's designated driver in opening answer

• October 2015: Cruz doesn't care what George W. Bush thinks of him

• October 2015: Cruz: Trump benefits my campaign

• October 2015: Cruz's dad walks fine line in son's campaign

• October 2015: GOP Power Rankings: Cruz rises, Fiorina falls

• October 2015: Fact check: Cruz misquotes Clapper on refugees

• October 2015: White House: Toronto is Cruz's 'other hometown team'

• October 2015: Cruz predicts he will eventually get Trump supporters

• September 2015: Ted Cruz, Stephen Colbert debate Ronald Reagan

• September 2015: Cruz: Excluding Muslims from presidency is unconstitutional

• September 2015: Ted Cruz: ‘Our country is in crisis’

• September 2015: Cruz: Deal is a catastrophic threat to security

• September 2015: Cruz's Houston past molded today's 2016 contender

• September 2015: Trump, Cruz blast Iran deal at Tea Party rally

• August 2015: Ted Cruz remains a force in crowded GOP field

• August 2015: Ellen Page confronts Ted Cruz at Iowa State Fair

• August 2015: At Iowa State Fair soapbox, Cruz asks voters to look ahead

• August 2015: Ted Cruz energizes conservative base in Tenn.

• July 2015: Romney hits Cruz over Obama/terrorism claim

• July 2015: Ted Cruz accuses Mitch McConnell of lying

• July 2015: Report: Cruz super PAC gets $15M from two billionaire donors

• July 2015: Cruz: Captain Kirk is probably a Republican

• June 2015: Ted Cruz fits 'Simpsons' audition into campaign schedule

• June 2015: Ted Cruz disputes 'the knock' that he's 'too scary' to win

• June 2015: Cruz: Religious liberty will be big issue in 2016

• June 2015: Candidates race to distance themselves from white supremacist

• June 2015: Ted Cruz apologizes for telling Biden joke

• May 2015: Bloomberg's Halperin apologizes to Cruz for interview

• April 2015: Ted Cruz charges Obama has 'inflamed racial tensions'

• April 2015: Ted Cruz picks Iowa campaign chair

• April 2015: Gay hotel owners apologize for hosting Ted Cruz event

• April 2015: Cruz welcomes 'talented communicator' Rubio to 2016 race

• April 2015: Ted Cruz to NRA: I've fought the conservative battles

• April 2015: Ted Cruz: Rand Paul raises bar on competition in GOP race

• April 2015: Taxpayers paid portion of Cruz's political trips

• April 2015: Ted Cruz set to run TV ads on Easter in early voting states

• April 2015: Reality check: Ted Cruz and Obamacare

• March 2015: Poll: Cruz gets bump from presidential announcement

• March 2015: Fact check: Cruz on the global cooling myth and Galileo

• March 2015: Cruz raises $2 million for White House bid

• March 2015: Ted Cruz websites redirect traffic to campaign

• March 2015: Fact-checking Ted Cruz

• March 2015: Ted Cruz to get health care plan through Obamacare exchange

• March 2015: Trolling Ted Cruz: GOP presidential hopeful has website challenges

• March 2015: Who is Heidi Cruz?

• March 2015: Ted Cruz jump-starts GOP battle for White House

• March 2015: Why being first could help Ted Cruz's presidential hopes

• March 2015: Can a 'wacko bird' take flight in the GOP?

• March 2015: Six things to know about Ted Cruz as he launches 2016 bid

• March 2015: Democrats welcome Ted Cruz to the GOP race

• March 2015: Fact check: Ted Cruz inflates IRS 'agents'

• March 2015: Ted Cruz jokes about 'world is on fire' with Seth Meyers

• March 2015: Mom: Ted Cruz did not scare my 3-year-old daughter

• March 2015: Top lawyers: 'No question' Canada-born Cruz eligible for presidency

• March 2015: Cruz to NASA: Focus more on space, less on Earth

• February 2015: Ted Cruz slams Obama, Clinton in fiery CPAC speech

• February 2015: Ted Cruz advocates for human space exploration

• February 2015: Poll: Ted Cruz leads in Texas, but here comes Scott Walker

• February 2015: Ted Cruz staffs up with Gingrich veteran

• February 2015: Ted Cruz: 'Of course' children should be vaccinated

• January 2015: Ted Cruz: GOP should be party of 47%

• January 2015: Cruz, Paul, Rubio spar on Cuba policy at desert forum

• January 2015: Ted Cruz: Obama ignored election message to 'change paths'

• December 2014: Ted Cruz: Obama should help Cuban dissidents

• December 2014: Is Cuba a 'leading' sponsor of terrorism?

• November 2014: Fact check: Obama and Cruz clash on immigration

• November 2014: Ted Cruz: Block Obama's nominees over immigration plan

• November 2014: It's a bird! It's a plane! No, it's the Ted Cruz coloring book

• November 2014: Ted Cruz isn't exactly pledging his loyalty to Mitch McConnell

• November 2014: Ted Cruz: Hillary wins if GOP picks a moderate in 2016

• October 2014: Ted Cruz to help launch Pat Roberts bus tour in Kansas

• September 2014: Ted Cruz urges social conservatives to 'vote Harry Reid out'

• July 2014: Ted Cruz hits 'True Blood' for 'misogynist' episode

• July 2014: Ted Cruz: Investigate 'appalling' Mississippi Senate runoff

• June 2014: Eh? Ted Cruz isn't Canadian anymore

• April 2014: Cruz throws support to Senate hopeful in Okla.

• April 2014: Homer Simpson gives Ted Cruz an assist on Tax Day

• April 2014: Cruz: Religious liberty under 'assault' by Obama

• March 2014: Ex-aide tries to draft Cruz into presidential race

• March 2014: Ted Cruz, the Republican Party's tattooed bad boy

• March 2014: Spotted and tweeted: Cruz, Booker share a meal

• March 2014: Who's more like Reagan? Paul, Cruz trade jabs

• March 2014: Ted Cruz now 'proud' to endorse John Cornyn for Senate

• January 2014: Sen. Ted Cruz sidesteps question about 2016 plans

• January 2014: Sen. Ted Cruz still citizen of U.S. and Canada

• December 2013: Republican pols rally behind 'Duck Dynasty' star

• December 2013: Cruz: Obamacare is a disaster

• December 2013: Cruz featured in new coloring book for kids

• November 2013: Post-shutdown, Cruz remains popular as ever in Texas

• October 2013: Sen. Ted Cruz to appear on Jay Leno's show

• October 2013: Iowa audience embraces Cruz

• October 2013: Iowa GOP chief praises Cruz

• October 2013: Cruz says he knows how to unite GOP

• October 2013: Steve King weighs in on whether Cruz will have staying power

• October 2013: Cruz's 3rd Iowa visit stirs talk of 2016 plans

• October 2013: Cruz Q&A: The senator's private side

• October 2013: Tea Party faves get mixed response after shutdown

• October 2013: Cruz: Senate won't make same mistake in next fight

• October 2013: Sen. Ted Cruz won't rule out another govt shutdown

• October 2013: Ted Cruz says he won't delay vote on Senate deal

• October 2013: Tea Party faves Cruz, Rubio, Paul reject Senate deal

• October 2013: Houston newspaper says it didn't 'un-endorse' Ted Cruz

• October 2013: Conservatives get early look at potential '16 field

• October 2013: Conservative summit loves/hates Ted Cruz

• October 2013: Shutdown alters Ted Cruz's family visit to D.C.

• October 2013: GOP congressman says Cruz misled Republicans

• October 2013: Houston loves/hates Sen. Cruz during shutdown

• October 2013: Sen. Cruz apologizes for Bataan Death March remarks

• September 2013: Liz Cheney: Ted Cruz would be one of my allies

• September 2013: Cruz's marathon Obamacare protest one for the ages

• September 2013: Tiny sips of water, comfy shoes aided Sen. Ted Cruz

• September 2013: Ted Cruz still talking today in Obamacare protest

• August 2013: Sen. Ted Cruz's citizenship saga could linger

• August 2013: Sen. Ted Cruz releases birth certificate

• August 2013: Cruz: Obama has 'dangerous' principles

• May 2013: Rubio vs. Cruz: Hispanic conservatives battle for GOP's soul

• March 2013: Ted Cruz: Surprised by GOP's 'defeatist attitude'

• March 2013: Rand Paul, GOP senators threaten filibuster on guns

• March 2013: Poll: Texas voters not fazed by Ted Cruz's style

• February 2013: Senate panel approves Hagel nomination