Senator Ted Cruz Announces Presidential Bid

Texas Senator Ted Cruz has announced that he will run for president in 2016.

Cruz made the announcement Monday morning during a speech at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia. He is the first Republican candidate to officially declare a White House run next year.

After speaking about his parents, his faith, and his experiences as a student, Cruz moved on to his vision of a grassroots movement to push the United States in a conservative direction.

“I believe in you. I believe in the power of millions of courageous conservatives rising up to re-ignite the promise of America,” he said. “That is why, today, I am announcing that I am running for president of the United States."

“It is a time for truth," he added. "It is a time for liberty. It is a time to reclaim the constitution of the United States."

Cruz’s entire Liberty University address can be seen here. While he is popular among Tea Party activists and evangelicals, Cruz has often found himself at odds with other Republican representatives since being elected in 2012, and it remains to be seen if he can garner support from the party's mainstream.