This week Texas Senator Ted Cruz announced that he would be running for President of the United States. Cruz is the first major candidate in the race and is considered one of the more far right candidates that will probably enter the race.
So, for our readers and students who may be unfamiliar with Cruz, we thought it might be helpful to outline some key things that may play a role in his upcoming campaing.
Perhaps one of the most important things to remember about Cruz is that he is a Tea Party Republican. He is among this far right Republicans who basically stand in opposition to many of the key components of the current Obama administration.
Cruz stands in such harsh opposition to Obama, in fact, he once filibustered for 21 hours in order to block Obama care. In a sort of divisive Mr. Smith Goes to Washington moment, NPR’s article What you Need to Know About Ted Cruz quotes the senator as saying during his filibuster: “I intend to speak in opposition to Obamacare; I intend to speak in support of defunding Obamacare until I am no longer able to stand.”
That article credits Cruz’s filibuster in maybe playing a role in the government shutdown that would ensue days later. Cruz’s far right leanings set him apart from the other potential candidates that may run this year.
Those among the speculated include a bevy of candidates from varying backgrounds and political prowess. Chief among them is Jeb Bush – governor of Florida and brother of President George W. Bush and son of President George H. Bush.
Another possibly strong contender is Rand Paul – a Kentucky senator, who while also having ties to the Tea Party boasted in a Politico article Rand Paul, reacting to Cruz, talks ‘winnability’ by Jonathan Topaz that he is more inclusive and would make a more viable candidate against Hillary Clinton.
Then there is Chris Christie – the governor of New Jersey whose fiery personality has made him a key player in the Republican party, yet has also drawn criticism from both parties for his petty politics involving the Bridgegate scandal.
Considering Cruz in the context of last year’s main Republican player – Mitt Romney – Cruz is also a vast change of pace. While Romney’s campaign ultimately decided to veer away from social issues and focus more on economics, Cruz has more of a social agenda.
He’s (as mentioned before) taken a staunch position against Obamacare and has spoken in favor of the Texas death penalty as well as created legislation that would prevent Christian and other religious institutions from paying into funds that support abortion.
How long Cruz’s campaign will last is anyone’s guest. Early candidates tend to just give the press more time to pick apart their policies and dig for skeletons in the closet.
Major success on the Cruz campaign, however, would indicate that the country is heading in a wildly different direction than is currently the path that it is currently on.
Now, success for any Republican candidate would also vary on who may potentially run in the Democratic and vice versa.
Potentially candidates on the other end of the spectrum include: Hillary Clinton, Vice President Joe Biden, Independent Bernie Sanders – a senator from Vermont, and Senator Jim Webb from Virginia all jump to mind.
Either way, Cruz’s announcement may not be a surprise to many who follow politics, but it does make an interesting first impression of what the upcoming 2016 elections may look like. Whether the extremes on either side will prove to be the most interesting aspect of this campaign.
Let the battle begin.
The Xavierite Editorial Board
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