Editor’s note: This story is developing and will continue to be updated with the latest information available.
Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, 44, is scheduled to speak Monday, March 22, at Liberty University’s weekly Convocation, according to university President Jerry Falwell. Cruz will be announcing his candidacy for president, an anonymous Cruz staffer told the Houston Chronicle.
“I got the call last week,” Falwell said of Cruz’s request to visit Liberty.
In announcing his bid, the 2016 hopeful, who placed third in this year’s annual Conservative Political Action Conference straw poll, is skipping the longstanding traditional step of first forming an exploratory committee.
“Mr. Cruz will be effectively firing the starting gun on the Republican primary,” New York Times reporter Maggie Haberman wrote.
The announcement is fitting, as Cruz has joked, “I’m Cuban, Irish and Italian, and yet somehow I ended up Southern Baptist,” according to Dallas News.
“We’re honored that political candidates are now requesting to appear at Liberty,” Falwell said. “We never had that happen years ago — we had to invite them. I think it’s a testament to what Liberty students have accomplished and what they are accomplishing.”
Cruz was raised Christian, saying he came to the faith at Clay Road Baptist Church in Houston, according to Sarah Pulliam Bailey, a religion writer for the Washington Post.
Cruz’s staffers said the announcement is intended to highlight the senator’s oratorical ability.
Falwell said he believes Liberty has become a “regular stop” for politicians seeking national office.
“We welcome that,” Falwell said.
The senator’s father, a pastor, shared stories of his experience as a Cuban refugee and echoed the importance of Christians being involved in shaping government when he visited Liberty in November 2013.
Additionally, Cruz previously delivered the keynote address at Convocation in April 2014, speaking on threats to religious liberty in the United States.
In response to those who claim this is a political endorsement for Liberty, Falwell said the university plans to have many candidates visit before the 2016 campaign is over.
“Liberty, of course, by law, can’t endorse candidates, and we don’t plan to break the law,” Falwell said.
According to Falwell, Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe, the originally scheduled keynote speaker for Monday’s Convocation, was informed of Cruz’s plan to visit. McAuliffe was given the opportunity to share the stage with Cruz or to remain the only speaker, in which case Cruz’s event would have been moved to the afternoon, Falwell told the Champion.
“His folks decided that he had some important things that he wanted to say to Liberty students,” Falwell said. “He wanted to come back when there wasn’t so much else going on at Liberty.”
According to Falwell, the governor’s assistant is working with the university, and he is tentatively scheduled to visit the campus in the fall 2015 semester.
Cruz’s Convocation address is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. Monday, March 23.
https://www.liberty.edu/.../ted-cruz-to-an...
Posted By: Steve Williams
Monday, March 23rd 2015 at 8:25AM
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