Ted Cruz is an American politician and attorney who has served as the junior United States Senator for Texas since 2013. Born on December 22, 1970, in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, he is the son of Rafael Cruz, a Cuban immigrant, and Eleanor Darragh, an American of Irish and Italian descent. Cruz holds dual citizenship with the United States and Canada, but he renounced his Canadian citizenship in 2014. He grew up in Texas and attended Princeton University, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Public Policy from the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs. He then went on to attend Harvard Law School, where he earned his Juris Doctor in 1995.

After law school, Cruz clerked for Chief Justice William Rehnquist of the U.S. Supreme Court, a prestigious position that positioned him as a rising star in conservative legal circles. He later worked as an attorney at the Federal Trade Commission and as an Associate Deputy Attorney General at the Department of Justice. In 2003, Cruz became the Solicitor General of Texas, serving under Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott. During his time as Solicitor General, Cruz argued several high-profile cases before the U.S. Supreme Court, gaining a reputation for his sharp legal mind and staunch defense of conservative principles.

Cruz first entered the political spotlight in 2012 when he ran for the U.S. Senate. In a surprising upset, he defeated the heavily favored Lieutenant Governor David Dewhurst in the Republican primary, riding a wave of support from the Tea Party movement, which favored his hardline conservative views. Cruz won the general election with ease and quickly made a name for himself in the Senate as a strong opponent of the Affordable Care Act, which led to his role in the 2013 government shutdown. His willingness to confront party leadership and push for aggressive conservative policies earned him a devoted following on the right, though it also led to tension within the Republican Party.

In 2016, Cruz ran for the Republican nomination for President. His campaign was characterized by its emphasis on constitutional conservatism, limited government, and strict adherence to the principles of the U.S. Constitution. Cruz performed well in several primary states and was the last major challenger to Donald Trump for the Republican nomination. After suspending his campaign, he eventually endorsed Trump, despite having publicly criticized him during the primary.

Throughout his career, Cruz has maintained a strong conservative stance on a variety of issues, including opposition to abortion, support for gun rights, and advocacy for limited government. He has also been a vocal supporter of deregulation and tax cuts, aligning with traditional Republican economic policies. Cruz remains a significant figure in the Republican Party, known for his articulate advocacy of conservative values and his willingness to challenge the status quo within the party.

REFERENCE:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ted_Cruz