HOUSTON (AP) — U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz has released his birth certificate showing he was born in Canada but says he will renounce citizenship from that country.

The tea party-backed Texas Republican has been mentioned as a possible 2016 presidential candidate — even though only natural-born U.S. citizens can hold the office.

Cruz says he was a U.S. citizen at birth because his mother is American. But releasing his birth certificate prompted suggestions he may hold dual U.S.-Canadian citizenship.

In Houston on Tuesday, Cruz said he'd "of course" renounce being Canadian. He added: "I believe it makes sense for me to be only an American."

Cruz called questions about his birth part of the "silly season in politics." Still, some conservatives long questioned President Barack Obama's citizenship because of his Kenyan father.