Senator Ted Cruz declares himself a candidate for US presidential bid

Cruz set his profile when he almost drove his party into shutting down the federal government to try to overturn the President's healthcare reforms

Texas Senator Ted Cruz (AP)

Senator Ted Cruz of Texas will fire the starting pistol on the 2016 presidential derby when he uses an address to students at Liberty University in Virginia to declare himself a candidate.

The first-term US Senator, whose willingness to rebel against the Republican establishment has endeared him to the Christian and Tea Party wings of the party, will eschew setting up an exploratory committee as a first step as would be normal and simply plunge straight in as a fully-fledged runner.

By becoming the first in a crowded field of potential rivals for the Republican nomination formally to announce, Senator Cruz will be trying to get a head start on others with similar hopes of winning support from conservatives as well as libertarians. They notably include Rand Paul and Marco Rubio, who are also first-term members of the US Senate, and former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee.

Mr Cruz, 44, set his political profile in late 2013 when, after serving just a few months in the Senate, he almost single-handedly drove his party into shutting down the federal government for 17 days to try to overturn President Barack Obama’s healthcare reform law. Ultimately doomed, the effort thrilled the Christian right but infuriated many mainstream Republicans who accused him of damaging the party.

On the campaign trail he will present himself as a plain-spoken conservative who neither wavers from principle nor panders to gain short-term advantage. “It’s easy for candidates to give an answer,” he said during a recent visit to New Hampshire, but added: “The proof is in the pudding. What I’ve urged Republicans to ask of every candidate is: Have you walked the walk? Show me your record.”

Appearing at an agricultural summit in Iowa two weeks ago, Mr Cruz was alone among a number of potential runners flatly to pronounce his opposition to a federal law that obliges petroleum refiners to blend ethanol into petrol, which greatly benefits Iowa farmers but makes little sense in a free market. Many members of the audience were appalled with his position yet impressed by his frankness.

While strong support from the right will be critical for any candidate in the primary process, Mr Cruz may struggle expanding his base to moderates and independents. A recent CNN poll showed Jeb Bush, the former Governor of Florida, with 16 per cent support among Republicans and independents who lean Republican and13 per cent for Wisconsin governor Scott Walker. Mr Cruz lagged with just 4 per cent.

Born in Calgary in Canada to a Cuban father and an American mother, Mr Cruz faced early questions about his nationality and therefore his ability to become president. Legal experts argued, however, that the fact that his mother was American qualified him to be in the White House if elected.

Mr Cruz proved his campaigning chops by coming from behind in Texas to win the Republican primary for senator in 2012, upsetting establishment rivals. At the Iowa event earlier this month, he stood out by lingering among audience members after his time on stage, posing for photographs and chatting with party members.