In my one-on-one interview this week with Sen. Ted Cruz, he tells The Brody File that evangelical voters should look to his proven record when distinguishing him from other GOP presidential candidates who will seek after their vote.
"For too long politicians have said one thing and done another. And every one of us should ask, any candidate that shows up in front of us, you say you believe these principles, show me," he said. "When have you stood up and fought for them? When have you bled for them and what have you accomplished? You shall know them by their fruits."
Cruz’s strategy will be to point to a fruit basket full victories that he argued and won in court: include defending the Second Amendment, standing against partial birth or taxpayer funded abortion. One thing he says he won’t do is fling mud against others.
"It’s my intention to run a positive, optimistic, hopeful campaign. There may be other candidates that get down and nasty, who get personal, who go into the gutter and launch attacks but I ain’t going to be one of them and I’m not going to reciprocate."
He also talks about how we (as Christians) should all be "watchmen on the wall." And when asked whether or not he has been put in this position of running for president for such a time as this, he tells me, "I hope and pray that I was."
Don’t discount Ted Cruz. He’s one of the smartest candidates you’ll ever see and he’ll be holding court on the debate stage so he’s a force to be reckoned with. His biggest strength is he can position himself as the anti-establishment candidate but it's also one of his biggest weaknesses because some of those establishment Republicans want to take him down.
Ultimately voters will decide and evangelicals are going to have plenty of options. But one thing is for sure: Cruz will not back down on religious-themed issues and that gives him a nice running start with evangelicals.
Watch the video exchange below along with some other selected quotes from the interview. The TV version of this story will air on The 700 Club Friday morning.
MANDATORY COURTESY: CBN NEWS/THE BRODY FILE
Sen. Ted Cruz: I have had a calling and passion for politics my while life.
For too long politicians have said one thing and done another. And every one of us should ask, any candidate that shows up in front of us, you say you believe these principles, show me. When have you stood up and fought for them? When have you bled for them and what have you accomplished? You shall know them by their fruits.
It’s my intention to run a positive, optimistic, hopeful campaign. There may be other candidates that get down and nasty, who get personal, who go into the gutter and launch attacks but I ain’t going to be one of them and I’m not going to reciprocate.
This country remains a country I believe grounded in values, grounded in faith but far too many Christians have ceded the public arena to people that aren’t believers.
We are to be watchmen on the wall and I believe that there are pastors, there are leaders in the faith community all across this country who were placed in the positions of leadership that they are in today just like Ester, 'for such a time as this.' That is my hope, that we energize and mobilize courageous conservatives all over this country to pull this country back.
David Brody: Do you believe you were put in this position for such a time as this?
Cruz: I hope and pray that I was and I can tell you I feel privileged at an incredible level to have the opportunity to be in the arena.