One of the common charges leveled against Ted Cruz’s chances at the presidency is his abysmal record as a legislator. The junior Senator can hardly boast any accomplishments during his time in Washington, whereas Scott Walker and Jeb Bush can point to the conservative reforms they passed as governors. But the critique is a category error; Cruz has been campaigning for president since he first stepped into public office, accruing a history of grandstanding that fits hand in glove with his 2016 strategy: galvanize the base.
“Today, roughly half of born-again Christians aren’t voting. They’re staying home. Imagine instead millions of people of faith all across America coming out to the polls and voting our values,” Cruz said in a speech at Liberty University, where he chose to announce his entry into the presidential race.
