Ted Cruz Hopes Early Campaign Entry Will Focus Voters’ Attention

*This wasn’t unexpected. This first step speaks volumes of Cruz’s intention: he made his announcement at Liberty University, in Lynchburg Virginia. Appealing to the right-wing, Tea Party base in the Republican Party is his first concern. He didin’t choose Texas, his homestate, an important state with 32 electoral votes, and an important percentage of the national Latino vote. His campaign, at some point, will tout his Cuban background in an effort to woo Latino voters. VL

By Jonathan Martin, The New York Times

The venue has little personal significance for him, but the timing of Senator Ted Cruz’s formal entry into the 2016 presidential field on Monday is full of meaning, as he seeks to catapult to the forefront of an increasingly competitive cluster of conservatives vying for the Republican nomination.

By becoming the first candidate to declare himself officially in the race, Republicans briefed on his strategy said, Mr. Cruz hopes to reclaim the affection and attention of those on the party’s right wing who have begun eyeing other contenders, particularly Gov. Scott Walker of Wisconsin.

“It’s the shiny object principle. He wants to be first, get in the conversation, not show any doubt or hesitation,” said Dave Carney, a longtime Republican strategist. “There’s an advantage to being first. He’s now the only one running for president, instead of engaging in this Kabuki dance that the others are.”

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[Photo by Gage Skidmore/Flickr]