Leading Pastor Endorses Ted Cruz
Republican presidential candidate U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz has made a point of seeking the support of conservative Christians this election cycle.
In Iowa, the first state in the presidential primary process, he has the support of dozens of pastors who hail from each of the state’s 99 counties. But, he has the same kind of support in each of the early-voting states.
“I am excited by the growing number of endorsements we are receiving from pastors,” Cruz said recently.
Tuesday, his campaign announced a major endorsement that may affect his standing in the biggest primary event that follows the “first four” states: the “SEC Primary” to be held March 1. More than one-fourth — 634 of the total 2,472 — delegates will be determined that day.
Among the states voting that day are: Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Tennessee, and Virginia (as well as Alaska, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Oklahoma, Texas, Vermont, and Wyoming). And a name known to many in each of those states is Dr. Jeff Fugate.
“Many pastors wait until the nominees for each party have been chosen before they begin their support, but we must not wait until the final quarter of the game to play,” Fugate said. “What we desire as pastors and God-fearing Christians is to have a candidate who represents our biblical, moral, and social positions. Ted Cruz has a personal testimony of salvation, and he is not a part of the Washington Cartel, which has allowed our nation to become both financially indebted and increasingly less safe. His amazing resume and his brilliance and intelligence cannot be overlooked. I am honored to stand in support of his campaign for the presidency.”
The pastor of Clays Mill Road Baptist Church in Lexington, KY, leads a congregation of more than 2,000, serves as the editor of Christian Growth magazine, is a published author, and is a contributing writer for Sword of the Lord Publishing. He also leads the daily Voice of the Appalachians radio broadcast.
“Reagan coordinated strategically with Independent Baptists like Dr. Fugate, who has been leading congregants faithfully in Christian growth and personal revival for more than 20 years,” Cruz said. “We are grateful for the opportunity to work with so many Independent Baptists, of which there are about 3 million, to promote our shared values and reignite the promise of America.”
Fugate also has led many outreach ministries, specifically serving as founder of Commonwealth Baptist College and Clays Mill Road Baptist Christian Academy, and has been instrumental in starting 28 new churches in Kentucky and other states. He, with his wife and five children, also perform as a musical group, and are heard on radio and TV weekly throughout the South.
