U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, a Republican from Texas, said in an interview with ABC News this morning that he could launch a 2016 campaign for president due to the current state of foreign affairs. Specifically, Cruz highlighted the situation in the Middle East with the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), a group which has recently beheaded two journalists in addition to taking many Iraqi cities over from government control.
In the interview, Ted Cruz’s 2016 ambitions appeared to come through rather clearly.
“The American people in 2014 and also November 2016 are going to be looking for leaders who want to work to restore America’s leadership in the world.”
Cruz was asked if that meant he was launching a campaign in 2016, and the first-term Republican did not hold back.
“It increases my interest in doing everything I can to change the direction we’re on.”
There is a movement afoot online to draft Cruz into the 2016 Republican presidential primary, with the domain RunTedRun.com recently going live with a list of reasons why Cruz should make an attempt to carry the Republican mantel to election day in November 2016.
Among the reasons listed by the group (listed verbatim):
- Ted Cruz stood up to the gun-grabbing liberals like Dianne Feinstein to protect the 2nd Amendment.
- Ted Cruz fought to stop the IRS from targeting and harassing conservatives for political purposes.
- Ted Cruz battled pro-amnesty supporters like Chuck Schumer.
- Ted Cruz refused to let Harry Reid fund the implementation of Obamacare without a fight.
- Ted Cruz exposed senators of both parties for giving Obama a “blank check” to rack up unlimited debt after they first tried using Senate rules in a desperate attempt to conceal their vote.
The creator of the website, a Houston-based group aptly named Draft Ted Cruz for President, said the reasons behind its draft movement were simple , “Our goal is to collect 1 million signed petitions this year to serve as the backbone of a campaign that will culminate with Ted Cruz taking the Oath of Office as the 45th President of the United States on January 20, 2017. It’s time for conservatives to be proud of their vote again.”
Of course, if Ted Cruz’s 2016 campaign becomes a reality, he may have some others to fight for the nomination. Among them, 2012 Republican nominee Mitt Romney. Romney keeps denying his interest in the race, but said “circumstances” could change making him a possible 2016 contender.
[Image via facebook]