By Tobin Grant March 23 at 4:21 PM <\/p>\n
Texas Sen. Ted Cruz announced his presidential bid today at Liberty University, a symbolic venue for Cruz and maybe a harbinger that he is outpacing his rivals for a key bloc of voters in the GOP. <\/p>\n
Liberty was founded by the late Jerry Falwell Sr., the Southern Baptist minister who also founded the Moral Majority. Among evangelicals and other social conservatives, Liberty is highly symbolic as the home of a particular blend of historic fundamentalism and politics. <\/p>\n
Fundamentalism is a stream of evangelicalism that formed in the 1920s. Unlike other evangelicals, fundamentalists are often suspect of the larger American culture, eschewing influences that could have a corrupting influence on their spiritual lives. <\/p>\n
Cruz spoke to students and supporters as an evangelical insider. He included a story of his own conversion and about how his father was transformed after he gave his life to Jesus Christ. <\/p>\n
There are people who wonder if faith is real. I can tell you, in my family theres not a second of doubt, because were it not for the transformative love of Jesus Christ, I would not have been saved and I would have been raised by a single mom without my father in the household, Cruz said. <\/p>\n
In the past, Republican candidates have used Liberty to demonstrate their willingness to work with evangelicals. Arizona Sen. John McCain and former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney each gave commencement addresses in hopes of assuaging doubts among social conservatives. Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal gave last years commencement address. <\/p>\n
Cruzs announcement is far different. He did not go to Liberty as a stop along the way just to reach out to evangelicals. He is a conservative Baptist who chose Lynchburg, Va., as his launching pad. <\/p>\n
Gods blessing has been on America from the very beginning of this nation, and I believe God isnt done with America yet, Cruz said in his speech. <\/p>\n
[Here's what we know about Ted Cruz's faith] <\/p>\n
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How will evangelicals vote? What Ted Cruzs announcement means for his rivals.<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" By Tobin Grant March 23 at 4:21 PM Texas Sen. Ted Cruz announced his presidential bid today at Liberty University, a symbolic venue for Cruz and maybe a harbinger that he is outpacing his rivals for a key bloc of voters in the GOP. Liberty was founded by the late Jerry Falwell Sr., the Southern Baptist minister who also founded the Moral Majority. Continue reading