Career Timeline of Ted Cruz: Major Achievements and Milestones
Discover the career path of Ted Cruz, from the first major opportunity to industry-changing achievements.
Ted Cruz is an American politician and attorney currently serving as the junior United States Senator from Texas, a position he has held since 2013. As a member of the Republican Party, Cruz's political career includes his prior role as the Solicitor General of Texas from 2003 to 2008. He is known for his conservative views and has been a prominent figure in numerous political debates and legislative initiatives within the U.S. Senate.
1995: Law clerk for Judge J. Michael Luttig
In 1995, Ted Cruz began serving as a law clerk for Judge J. Michael Luttig of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, a position he held until 1996.
1996: Law clerk for Chief Justice William Rehnquist
From 1996 to 1997, Ted Cruz clerked for Chief Justice William Rehnquist of the U.S. Supreme Court.
1997: Joined Cooper, Carvin & Rosenthal law firm
In 1997, Ted Cruz began working at the law firm Cooper, Carvin & Rosenthal (now Cooper & Kirk, PLLC).
1997: End of Supreme Court clerkship
In 1997, Ted Cruz concluded his clerkship with Chief Justice William Rehnquist of the U.S. Supreme Court.
1998: Represented John Boehner during litigation
In 1998, Ted Cruz briefly represented Representative John Boehner in litigation against Representative Jim McDermott.
1999: Joined George W. Bush presidential campaign
In 1999, Ted Cruz joined the George W. Bush presidential campaign as a domestic policy advisor.
2000: Assisted in Florida presidential recounts
In 2000, Ted Cruz assisted in the Florida presidential recounts, helping assemble the Bush legal team and devise legal strategy.
2000: Cruz Works on George W. Bush's Presidential Campaign
In 2000, Ted Cruz was working on George W. Bush's presidential campaign.
2003: Appointment as Solicitor General
In 2003, Greg Abbott, the Texas Attorney General, appointed Ted Cruz as Solicitor General for the state of Texas.
2003: Defended Texas congressional redistricting plan
In 2003, Ted Cruz served as lead counsel for the state of Texas and successfully defended the state's congressional redistricting plan.
2003: Appointed Solicitor General of Texas
In 2003, Ted Cruz was appointed as the Solicitor General of Texas, a position he held until 2008.
2004: Involvement in Elk Grove v. Newdow case
In 2004, Ted Cruz was involved in the Elk Grove Unified School District v. Newdow case, arguing that a non-custodial parent lacked standing to sue over the Pledge of Allegiance.
2008: End of Term as Solicitor General of Texas
In 2008, Ted Cruz concluded his service as the Solicitor General of Texas.
2008: Joined Morgan, Lewis & Bockius
In 2008, Ted Cruz joined the Houston office of the law firm Morgan, Lewis & Bockius.
2008: Cruz's Role in Medellín v. Texas
In 2008, Ted Cruz played a role as counsel for the State of Texas in Medellín v. Texas, a Supreme Court case affirming Texas's right to disregard an International Court of Justice order regarding Mexican nationals on death row. Cruz considered Medellín the most important case of his tenure as Texas solicitor general.
2010: Abandoned Attorney General Bid
In 2010, Ted Cruz abandoned his bid for state attorney general when Greg Abbott decided to run for reelection.
2010: Cruz Criticizes the Affordable Care Act
In 2010, Ted Cruz was a vocal critic of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act passed under President Obama.
January 19, 2011: Launched Senate Campaign
On January 19, 2011, Ted Cruz launched his campaign for the U.S. Senate after Kay Bailey Hutchison announced she would not seek reelection.
July 2012: Cruz disclosed loans on Senate financial disclosure forms
In July 2012, Ted Cruz disclosed the loans from Goldman Sachs and Citibank on his Senate financial disclosure forms, but not on the FEC form.
2012: Cruz Senate Campaign and Death Penalty Stance
During his 2012 Senate campaign, Ted Cruz frequently mentioned his role as counsel for the State of Texas in Medellín v. Texas and voiced his support for the death penalty.
2012: Tea Party victory
In 2012, Ted Cruz ran as a Tea Party candidate and achieved a significant victory in the Republican primary.
2012: Elected to the U.S. Senate
In 2012, Ted Cruz was elected to the U.S. Senate, becoming the first Hispanic American U.S. senator from Texas.
2012: Campaign Contributions from Oil, Gas and Coal Interests
Since 2012, Ted Cruz has received more than $2.5 million in campaign contributions from oil, gas, and coal interests.
March 14, 2013: Cruz Keynote Speech at CPAC
On March 14, 2013, Ted Cruz delivered the keynote speech at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Washington D.C.
October 2013: Cruz Wins Values Voter Summit Straw Poll
In October 2013, Ted Cruz won the Values Voter Summit presidential straw poll with 42% of the vote, signaling early interest in a potential presidential run.
2013: Became US Senator from Texas
In 2013, Ted Cruz became the junior United States Senator from Texas, marking a significant milestone in his political career.
2013: Cruz denied involvement in government shutdown
In 2013, Ted Cruz denied any involvement in the government shutdown, even though he cast several votes to prolong it and was blamed by many within his own party for prompting it.
2013: Leading role in government shutdown
In 2013, Ted Cruz played a leading role in the United States federal government shutdown, giving a 21-hour Senate speech to defund the Affordable Care Act.
2013: Cruz Proposes Abolishing the IRS and Flat Tax
In 2013, Ted Cruz proposed abolishing the IRS and implementing a flat tax system, where taxes could be filed on a postcard.
2013: Cruz on same-sex marriage
In 2013, Ted Cruz said he wanted marriage to be legally defined as only "between one man and one woman", but also said that the legality of same-sex marriage should be left to each state to decide.
2013: Cruz Voted Against Hurricane Sandy Federal Aid
In 2013, Ted Cruz voted against a bill providing federal aid to the Northern East Coast for recovery from Hurricane Sandy, citing unrelated pork and extraneous spending. This was disputed by The Washington Post and The New York Times.
2013: Cruz Voted Against Water Resources Development Act
In 2013, Ted Cruz voted against the Water Resources Development Act of 2013, which would have created the National Endowment for the Oceans and authorized over $26 billion in projects by the Army Corps of Engineers. He argued the bill neglected to reduce a substantial backlog of projects.
2013: Cruz Speaking Events
In mid-2013, Ted Cruz did speaking events across Iowa, New Hampshire, and South Carolina, all early primary states, leading to further speculation that he was laying the groundwork for a 2016 bid.
April 1, 2014: Cruz introduced S. 2195
On April 1, 2014, Ted Cruz introduced S. 2195, a bill that would allow the president of the United States to deny visas to ambassadors to the United Nations engaged in espionage or terrorist activity against the United States or its allies.
April 12, 2014: Cruz Speaks at Freedom Summit
On April 12, 2014, Ted Cruz spoke at the Freedom Summit, emphasizing outreach to Latinos, young people, and single mothers, and advocating for Republicans to focus on "growth and opportunity".
April 18, 2014: Cruz thanked Obama for signing S. 2195 into law
On April 18, 2014, Ted Cruz thanked President Barack Obama for signing S. 2195 into law in a letter published in Politico.
November 2014: Cruz accused Obama of destroying the Constitution
In a November 2014 Senate speech, Ted Cruz accused President Obama of being "openly desirous to destroy the Constitution and this Republic."
December 2014: Cruz Criticizes US-Cuba Rapprochement
In December 2014, Ted Cruz criticized the Obama administration's rapprochement with Cuba, calling it a "tragic mistake".
2014: Cruz Wins Presidential Straw Polls
In 2014, Ted Cruz won two presidential straw polls: the Republican Leadership Conference with 30.33% of the vote and the Republican Party of Texas state convention with 43% of the vote.
2014: Cruz on Auditing the Federal Reserve System
In a 2014 opinion editorial, Ted Cruz advocated for auditing the Federal Reserve System and supported legislation allowing the Government Accountability Office to evaluate the Federal Reserve's monetary policy.
January 2015: Cruz Delivers State of the Union Response
In January 2015, Ted Cruz delivered one of many State of the Union responses, offering an alternative perspective to the President's address.
March 23, 2015: Cruz Announces 2016 Presidential Campaign
On March 23, 2015, Ted Cruz officially launched his 2016 presidential campaign with a speech at Liberty University and a post on his Twitter page. He was the first major Republican to announce his candidacy.
June 2015: Cruz expressed pride in reputation for having few allies
In June 2015, Ted Cruz expressed pride in his reputation for having few allies, saying he has been vilified for fighting "the Washington cartel".
June 30, 2015: Cruz's Book Published
On June 30, 2015, HarperCollins published Ted Cruz's book, A Time for Truth: Reigniting the Promise of America, which quickly became a bestseller.
July 2015: Cruz accused Mitch McConnell of lying
In July 2015, Ted Cruz accused Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell of telling "a flat-out lie" over his intentions to reauthorize the Export-Import Bank of the United States.
September 2015: Cruz concerned Boehner cut deal with Pelosi
In September 2015, Ted Cruz expressed his concern that before resigning Boehner might have "cut a deal with Nancy Pelosi to fund the Obama administration for the rest of its tenure".
2015: Cruz's Republican Priority for 2015: Auditing the Federal Reserve
In 2015, Ted Cruz indicated that auditing the Federal Reserve System was a top Republican priority.
2015: Cruz Voted for USA Freedom Act
In 2015, Ted Cruz voted for the USA Freedom Act, which reauthorized the USA Patriot Act while reforming some provisions.
2015: Cruz Opposes Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action
In 2015, Ted Cruz was a vocal opponent of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, the international nuclear agreement with Iran, calling it "catastrophic" and "disastrous".
2015: Cruz criticizes Supreme Court decision on same-sex marriage
In 2015, after the Supreme Court decision in Obergefell ruled same-sex marriage bans unconstitutional, Ted Cruz called the decision "the very definition of tyranny", accused the court of judicial activism, and said it was "among the darkest hours of our nation".
2015: Cruz Supported Federal Aid for Texas Flooding
In 2015, following severe flooding in Texas, Ted Cruz supported federal aid funding.
January 2016: Report on undisclosed loans
In January 2016, it was reported that Ted Cruz and his wife had taken out nearly $1 million in low-interest loans from Goldman Sachs and Citibank but failed to report them on Federal Election Commission disclosure statements.
February 1, 2016: Cruz Wins Iowa Caucus
On February 1, 2016, Ted Cruz won the Iowa caucuses with 28% of the vote, becoming the first Hispanic to win a presidential primary election or caucus.
March 1, 2016: Cruz Wins Multiple States on Super Tuesday
On March 1, 2016, Super Tuesday, Ted Cruz won Texas by 17%, along with Alaska and Oklahoma, securing a total of four state primary victories.
March 8, 2016: Cruz Wins Idaho Primary
On March 8, 2016, Ted Cruz won the Idaho primary with 45% of the vote, defeating Donald Trump by 17% and securing his seventh statewide victory.
March 2016: Cruz Argues Against Supreme Court Nominee Consideration
In March 2016, Ted Cruz argued that the Senate should not consider President Obama's Supreme Court nominee, stating that "this should be a decision for the people" and the decision should be left to the election.
April 6, 2016: Cruz Wins Wisconsin Primary
On April 6, 2016, Ted Cruz won the Wisconsin primary with 48.2% of the vote against Donald Trump's 35.1%. This marked Cruz's tenth statewide victory and secured him 36 delegates.
June 2016: Cruz blamed Obama administration for Orlando nightclub shooting
In June 2016, Ted Cruz blamed the Obama administration for the Orlando nightclub shooting, reasoning that it did not track the perpetrator Omar Mateen properly while he was on the terrorist watch-list.
September 2016: Cruz Backs Obama Administration's Saudi Arabia Weapons Sale
In September 2016, Ted Cruz supported the Obama administration's plan to sell over $1.15 billion worth of weapons to Saudi Arabia.
September 23, 2016: Cruz Endorses Trump for President
On September 23, 2016, Ted Cruz publicly endorsed Donald Trump for president after previously withholding his support at the Republican National Convention.
2016: Expected Presidential Run
As early as 2013, Ted Cruz was widely expected to run for the presidency in 2016.
2016: Cruz Denounces Outsourcing During Presidential Campaign
During his 2016 presidential campaign, Ted Cruz strongly denounced outsourcing American jobs, promising to return manufacturing jobs to the U.S.
2016: Cruz's 2016 Bid Speculation
In 2013, Ted Cruz's speaking events across Iowa, New Hampshire, and South Carolina, led to further speculation that he was laying the groundwork for a 2016 bid.
2016: Heidi Nelson takes leave to support Ted Cruz presidential run
In 2016, Heidi Nelson took leave from her position as head of the Southwest Region in the Investment Management Division of Goldman, Sachs & Co. to support Cruz's run for president.
2016: Cruz Attends Republican National Convention
In 2016, Ted Cruz attended the Republican National Convention.
2016: Sought Republican presidential nomination
In 2016, Ted Cruz campaigned for the Republican presidential nomination and emerged as a primary competitor to Donald Trump.
2016: Cruz Runs for President
In 2016, Ted Cruz started his presidential campaign for the Republican primaries and caucuses, in a morning speech delivered at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia.
2016: Cruz's 2016 Republican Presidential Primaries Performance
In the 2016 Republican presidential primaries, Ted Cruz received over 7.8 million votes, won 12 states, and earned 559 delegates. He raised nearly $92 million, a record for a Republican primary candidate, and had more than 325,000 volunteers.
January 5, 2017: Cruz Votes to Condemn UN Resolution on Israeli Settlements
On January 5, 2017, Ted Cruz voted in favor of a House resolution condemning UN Security Council Resolution 2334, which condemned Israeli settlement building in occupied Palestinian territories.
January 2017: Cruz Meets with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen
In early January 2017, Ted Cruz met with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen and later criticized the People's Republic of China for its reaction to the meeting.
January 2017: Cruz praised Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch
In late January 2017, Ted Cruz praised Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch as "brilliant and immensely talented" in a written statement.
June 2017: Cruz Co-Sponsors Israel Anti-Boycott Act
In June 2017, Ted Cruz co-sponsored the Israel Anti-Boycott Act, which would make it a federal crime for Americans to encourage or participate in boycotts against Israel and Israeli settlements.
2017: Cruz Called for Federal Intervention for Hurricane Harvey
In 2017, Ted Cruz called for federal intervention as Hurricane Harvey approached the coast of Texas.
2017: Cruz Sponsored Legislation to Repeal Obamacare
In 2017, Ted Cruz sponsored legislation to repeal the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010, and was part of the group of senators that drafted the unsuccessful 2017 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act replacement proposals of the AHCA.
2017: Cruz Urges Trump to Withdraw from Paris Agreement
In 2017, Ted Cruz was among 22 senators who signed a letter urging President Trump to withdraw from the Paris Agreement.
2017: Cruz endorses Roy Moore for U.S. Senate
In 2017, the same day that an audio clip resurfaced of Alabama Judge Roy Moore calling Obergefell "worse" than the 1857 ruling that upheld slavery, Ted Cruz endorsed Moore for U.S. Senate.
February 2018: Cruz Opposes Motion to Debate DREAMers Legislation
In February 2018, Ted Cruz was the sole senator to oppose a Republican motion to begin debate on legislation intended to resolve the question of what to do with DREAMers.
March 6, 2018: Cruz won Republican nomination for reelection
On March 6, 2018, Ted Cruz easily won the Republican nomination for reelection to a second term with over 80% of the vote in the primary elections.
April 2018: Cruz wrote about Trump for Time 100
In April 2018, Ted Cruz wrote in the copy accompanying Trump's entry on the Time 100 most influential people of 2017, "President Trump is doing what he was elected to do: disrupt the status quo."
July 2018: Cruz Speaks at Rally for Religious Freedom in Asia
In July 2018, Ted Cruz delivered a speech at the Rally for Religious Freedom in Asia, expressing solidarity with individuals worldwide persecuted by communists and highlighting the importance of standing united for those facing oppression.
August 2018: Cruz Urges Sanctions Against Chinese Officials Over Uyghur Abuses
In August 2018, Ted Cruz and other lawmakers called on the Trump administration to impose sanctions against Chinese officials responsible for human rights abuses against Uyghurs in Xinjiang.
November 6, 2018: Cruz defeated Beto O'Rourke in general election
On November 6, 2018, Ted Cruz defeated Beto O'Rourke by a slim margin of 50.9% to 48.3% in the general election.
November 2018: Cruz sponsored 105 bills
As of November 2018, Ted Cruz had sponsored 105 bills of his own.
2018: Re-election to the Senate
In 2018, Ted Cruz was re-elected to the U.S. Senate in a close race against Beto O'Rourke.
December 2019: Cruz Warns Allseas on Nord Stream II
In December 2019, Ted Cruz and Senator Ron Johnson warned Allseas about sanctions if they didn't halt work on the Nord Stream II pipeline.
January 21, 2020: Cruz Starts 'Verdict with Ted Cruz' Podcast
On January 21, 2020, Ted Cruz and Michael J. Knowles started a podcast, Verdict with Ted Cruz, initially focusing on summaries of the impeachment hearings of Donald Trump.
July 13, 2020: Chinese Government Sanctions Cruz for Condemning Xinjiang Abuses
On July 13, 2020, the Chinese government sanctioned Ted Cruz for "interfering in China’s internal affairs" by condemning human rights abuses in Xinjiang.
August 10, 2020: Chinese Government Sanctions Cruz for Actions on Hong Kong
On August 10, 2020, the Chinese government sanctioned Ted Cruz for "behaving badly on Hong Kong-related issues".
September 2020: Trump included Cruz on Supreme Court shortlist
In September 2020, Donald Trump included Ted Cruz on a shortlist for possible appointment to the Supreme Court, but Cruz declined consideration for the position.
September 2020: Cruz Supports Immediate Vote on Trump's Supreme Court Nominee
In September 2020, Ted Cruz supported an immediate vote on President Trump's nominee to fill the Supreme Court vacancy after Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg's death, less than two months before the next presidential election.
May 2021: Cruz Makes False Claims About For The People Act
During a May 2021 Senate Rules Committee hearing, Ted Cruz falsely asserted that the For The People Act would "direct" people "to break the law" and register ineligible non-citizens to vote.
May 2022: Supreme Court sided with Cruz in FEC v. Ted Cruz for Senate
In May 2022, the Supreme Court sided with Ted Cruz in FEC v. Ted Cruz for Senate, allowing him to ask donors to help repay $555,000 he loaned to his campaigns.
July 2022: Cruz supports repeal of Texas anti-sodomy law
In July 2022, Ted Cruz stated he supported the repeal of the 1845 Texas anti-sodomy law, saying, "consenting adults should be able to do what they wish in their private sexual activity, and the government has no business in their bedrooms."
October 2022: Verdict with Ted Cruz Partners with iHeartRadio
In October 2022, Verdict with Ted Cruz partnered with iHeartRadio and expanded to three times a week, with Ben Ferguson replacing Knowles as co-host.
2022: Cruz Criticizes China for Detention of Mark Swidan
In 2022, Ted Cruz sharply criticized the Chinese government for detaining Houston resident Mark Swidan, who had been held for over ten years.
2022: Cruz Votes Against Measure to Block Semiconductor Outsourcing
In 2022, Ted Cruz voted against Bernie Sanders's proposed measure for the United States Innovation and Competition Act, which aimed to prevent semiconductor manufacturers from outsourcing jobs.
2022: Cruz Voted Against Inflation Reduction Act
In 2022, Ted Cruz voted against the Inflation Reduction Act.
March 2023: Cruz Voted Against Repealing Iraq AUMF
In March 2023, Ted Cruz voted against repealing the Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF) in Iraq.
2023: Cruz Voted Against Fiscal Responsibility Act
In 2023, Ted Cruz was among the Senate Republicans who voted against the final passage of the Fiscal Responsibility Act.
2024: Won third term in the Senate
In 2024, Ted Cruz decisively secured his third term in the U.S. Senate, defeating Colin Allred.
