I stand before you as the governor of Texas but also stand before you the son of two tenant farmers. Ray Perry who came home after 35 bombing missions over Europe to work his little corner of land out there and Amelia who made sure that my sister Milla and I had everything that we needed, included hand sewing my clothes until I went off to college.

Even if an alcoholic is powerless over alcohol once it enters his body, he still makes a choice to drink. And, even if someone is attracted to a person of the same sex, he or she still makes a choice to engage in sexual activity with someone of the same gender.

I'm actually for gun control -- use both hands.

I don't want to look like Connecticut, no offense, I don't want to look like Oklahoma, I don't want to look like California. I want to be uniquely Texas. And that's not to diss anybody else.

I grew up in a house with no running water, 16 miles from the closest place that had a post office. I had a very parochial view of the world.

America's greatness is not found in the size of its government. America's greatness resides in the hearts and the minds of the people.

Ted Cruz will point Americans back to the principles established by our Constitution enabling you to live free.