Increasing his presence on television screens in Iowa, Senator Ted Cruz released a new ad, titled “Victories,” portraying him as a successful fighter for conservative causes.

On Screen

Black-and-white photographs of a white cross in the Mojave Desert (“Defended the cross. And won,” a caption declares), a Ten Commandments monument outside a statehouse (“Protected the Ten Commandments. And won.”), armed hunters silhouetted against the sky (“Fought for the Second Amendment. And won.”) and a girl with her hand over her heart (“Stood up for the Pledge of Allegiance. And won.”). Reverb-soaked guitar licks provide the only sound. Mr. Cruz is seen only briefly, in a photograph, gazing intently off-screen, as the words “Trust Ted” appear in white and red, then merge into one word: “Trusted.”

The Message

Appealing to evangelical Christians is made considerably easier when you can defensibly say you successfully “defended the cross.” Coming on strong in Iowa, Mr. Cruz is supplying red meat to social conservatives by portraying himself as a champion on God and guns.

Fact Check

Mr. Cruz worked pro bono while in private practice to aid veterans groups fighting to preserve the Mojave Desert cross on federal parkland in California. As solicitor general of Texas, he helped argue that Texas could have a Ten Commandments monument at the Capitol and keep the words “under God” in the Pledge of Allegiance, though critics have accused him of taking too much credit for his role in those cases. He drafted an amicus brief, signed by the attorneys general of 31 states, arguing to strike down the District of Columbia’s handgun ban; the ban was struck down, but Texas was not a party to the case.