Tony Perkins Makes It Official, Endorses Ted Cruz

That Tony Perkins has been all-in for U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) to win the GOP presidential nomination hasn’t been a secret to almost anyone. Tuesday night, he made it official.

During an appearance on FOX News Channel’s The Kelly File, Perkins offered this endorsement:

“I am personally endorsing Ted Cruz for president of the United States.

“Here is why.

“Ted is a constitutional conservative who will fight for faith, family and freedom. He will defend our right to believe and live according to those beliefs. Our families will be protected and freedom will once again mean something in America.

“I trust Ted to fight to pull America out of the political and cultural tailspin that President Obama’s policies have put us in. This is no normal election; this election is about the very survival of our Constitution and our republic.

“The next president will likely appoint two or three justices to the U.S. Supreme Court, which will impact our nation for decades to come. Unfortunately, previous Republican presidents have either been unable to identify liberal jurists in conservative clothing or have been unwilling to fight for true conservative nominees.

“This is not a problem that Democratic presidents have had. Can you name one liberal democratic appointment to the High Court who turned out to be a conservative?

“Ted understands the Constitution and the Supreme Court better than any candidate in this race. He has argued nine cases before the U.S. Supreme Court and has authored 70 Supreme Court briefs. Not only can he spot liberal jurists; he is a fighter who will ensure constitutionalists who respect the rule of law are seated on the Court.

“I supported Ted when he was an underdog candidate in his race for the U.S. Senate in Texas because I saw in him what the Senate needed—someone who had the intellectual firepower, who would not back down in keeping his promises to govern based upon conservative principles.

“Too many people come to Washington and forget the people who sent them here. Ted is not one of them. Our relationship has grown over the last few years as we’ve worked together to end Obamacare, preserve religious liberty, protect our military and promote the family as central to America’s future. Our frequent conversations are not all policy and politics, they are often personal and at times they’ve been marked with prayer.

“Ted Cruz’s conservative rhetoric matches his conservative record.  He is exactly the leader America needs to lead this nation to greatness again.

“No one in this race is better prepared and better positioned to win the Republican nomination and turn America around than Ted Cruz.

“This is why I am supporting Ted Cruz for president.”

Perkins is the Family Research Council’s fourth and longest-serving president, joining the organization in August 2003. He is one of the nation’s leading voices on pro-life and pro-family issues and has been a crucial leader in promoting policies that support conservative values.

Perkins hosts a daily, nationally syndicated radio show, Washington Watch With Tony Perkins and is the author of No Fear: Real Stories of a Courageous New Generation Standing for Truth. He also is an ordained minister and remains active in Christian ministries, serving as an elder in his home church and frequently filling pulpits across the country. He is a board member of Caring to Love Ministries, one of Louisiana’s largest pregnancy resource centers, a trustee of Louisiana College and a member of the Louisiana Commission on Law Enforcement. Additionally, he serves as president of the Council for National Policy.

Perkins was quick to point out his endorsement was personal, and in no way connected to the non-profits for which he is affiliated.

“Tony is a man of incredible principle and faith,” said Cruz. “His unwavering commitment to fight for life and marriage, and religious liberty have reverberated throughout the nation and continue to awaken a culture of life and faith throughout our communities. Tony is a steadfast fighter for the principles that have made this country a shining beacon for liberty. I am honored to have his blessing and endorsement for 2016 so that we can together coalesce conservatives and restore the values upon which this nation was founded.”

Perkins joined Cruz for the Cruz Campaign’s Rally for Religious Liberty in South Carolina at Bob Jones University in Greenville last November. The rally highlighted recent acts of government-sanctioned religious persecution against Americans of faith, and in particular recent attacks against evangelical Christians.