Age: 45
Background: Cruz was born in Calgary, Canada, leading to one of the biggest questions of the election so far: is he eligible to be President? His father was born in Cuba but his mother was born in Delaware, so some think that because his mother is a natural-born American citizen, he should be considered one too. Others believe that only those born on American soil should be considered natural-born citizens. As for his education, he studied at Princeton during his undergraduate years and then went on to Harvard Business School, graduating in 1995. Before becoming the junior senator from Texas, he opened a private law practice and served as Texas's Solicitor General as well as the director of policy planning at the US Federal Trade Commission. Cruz is married to a managing director at Goldman Sachs, which puts a spotlight on his criticism of Wall Street.
Stance on hot topics: In addition to championing the National Rifle Association, Cruz advocates for more use of guns to combat violence. Cruz is an outspoken critic of Obamacare, if not the most zealous critic — he intends to dismantle the Affordable Care Act if elected. He also vehemently opposes abortion — even in cases of rape or incest — and gay marriage.
Memorable quote: "I'll talk until I can't stand anymore," he said when he famously filibustered Obamacare for 20 hours. "Don’t worry, I have government-run health insurance. I’ll be fine.”
Standout moment from 2016 election — so far: During the third debate, the moderator asked the candidates about their greatest weakness. "I'm too agreeable and easygoing. My biggest weakness is I'm a fighter," said Cruz. "I'm passionate about what I believe in. I may not be the type of person you want to grab a beer with, but I will get you home." his answer spawned plenty of hilarious tweets about him as the nation's designated driver.
— Reporting by Eleanor Sheehan
