Cruz Will Announce He’s Running for President

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) “plans to announce Monday that he will run for president of the United States, accelerating his already rapid three-year rise from a tea party insurgent in Texas into a divisive political force in Washington,” the Houston Chronicle reports.

“Cruz will launch a presidential bid outright rather than form an exploratory committee, said senior advisers with direct knowledge of his plans, who spoke on condition of anonymity because an official announcement had not been made yet. They say he is done exploring and is now ready to become the first Republican presidential candidate.”

Washington Post: “His entry into the Republican race is likely to rupture the dynamics in the early field and will give other active contenders — including Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker and former Florida governor Jeb Bush — a competitive rival on the right.”