Cruz Campaign Press Release - VIDEO: Steve Deace on Why He Endorses Ted Cruz

"He is our best chance to preserve American exceptionalism for the next generation"

HOUSTON, Texas – The Cruz Campaign today released a video featuring Iowa conservative activist Steve Deace explaining why Ted Cruz is the candidate that conservatives should unify behind, and how he has what it takes to win the 2016 GOP primary and general elections.

"Ted Cruz has proven that we can build the organization and raise the money that it takes to actually win national elections without compromising our principles at all," Deace says. "He is the one that can go into all the various factions of our base, whether it's libertarians, whether it's small government conservatives, national security conservatives, evangelicals like myself. He is the one that can put the winning coalition back together again."

Deace adds, "This is the most important election of our lifetimes, but I don't mean the general election. This primary is. We need to put up a candidate who...actually believes in American exceptionalism and liberty, and will fight to defend those values. And then in a general election, has the talent and capability to move hearts and minds in a national platform of a campaign and in those debates. I believe Ted Cruz has the ability to do that. I think he is our best chance to preserve American exceptionalism for the next generation."

The full video may be viewed here full transcript is included below:

Hi my name is Steve Deace. I'm a nationally syndicated talk show host, columnist for the Washington Times and Conservative Review. When I'm not doing conservative media, I'm doing conservative activism. It's because the country is at stake. When I go home at night, I've got three children – 14, 10, and 8 – that we are going to hand the future of the country off to. So that's really a focus between my wife and I, that's why we do what we do, and it's also why we chose to endorse Sen. Ted Cruz.

I've sat here the last couple of cycles with a front row seat to what happens when we don't coalesce and unite behind a principled candidate. I've watched what happens – the establishment splits our vote, then we are divided the entire way through. Ultimately, a weak establishment candidate wins a plurality – not a majority – of GOP primary voters, doesn't motivate our base. Wash. Rinse. Repeat. The country goes to the left. Stop me if you've heard this one before.

This is an end to the false choice between principles and electability. For a long time, the Karl Rove, nihilistic wing of this party has tried to sell us that we can't stand for anything, because then we won't win any elections.

Ted Cruz has proven that we can build the organization and raise the money that it takes to actually win national elections without compromising our principles at all, if we do so with talented leaders who also have effective campaigns and staffs around them that know what they're doing, that are professionals. And the Cruz campaign has that.

I know many of the candidates in this race on a first name basis, and it is just clear to me that the man of the hour is Ted Cruz. He is the one that can go into all the various factions of our base, whether it's libertarians, whether it's small government conservatives, national security conservatives, evangelicals like myself. He is the one that can put the winning coalition back together again.

And the last couple of cycles when we've not had that candidate, what's happened is, each of those groups based on what their priorities are, they go their own way, and the establishment candidate takes advantage of the divide and conquer strategy.

The country cannot afford for us to blow this again. This is the most important election of our lifetimes, but I don't mean the general election. This primary is. We need to put up a candidate who is not a corporatist shill, is not a small "p" progressive, but actually believes in American exceptionalism and liberty, and will fight to defend those values. And then in a general election, has the talent and capability to move hearts and minds in a national platform of a campaign and in those debates.

I believe Ted Cruz has the ability to do that. I think he is our best chance to preserve American exceptionalism for the next generation. And I would urge everybody watching this, do not wait until the end. Ted Cruz has already put together the resources, the resume and the organization it takes to move the country back to liberty. Let's get on board now, let's unite now so that we can take on Washington, D.C. tomorrow.