The First 2016 Presidential Candidate Read Dr. Seuss To The Senate

The 2016 race for President officially began last night — not with a speech, but with a tweet. Early Monday morning, Republican Senator Ted Cruz became the first major candidate to officially declare his intention to run in 2016. 

Cruz, the junior senator from Texas, followed up his tweet with a speech at Liberty University, a Christian college in Lynchburg, VA that was founded by the late Jerry Falwell (the controversial preacher notorious for blaming the Sept. 11 attacks on feminists, "abortionists," and gay people). Speaking before a crowd of 10,000, Senator Cruz declared that he would "restore the promise of America." Cruz is a Tea Party favorite and lands to the right of more mainstream Republicans like Jeb Bush and Mitt Romney. He's the first Hispanic Senator from Texas (his father was born in Cuba) and he's only been in Congress since 2012. In that time, however, he's raised himself to a national profile, due to his intense and vocal opposition of the Obama administration policies. Here are five things to know about Cruz: 

1. He's Very Into Defending The Constitution
Cruz sees his number-one job as preserving and defending the Constitution, often with a literalist interpretation. According to his website, that means limiting gun control, allowing states to ban gay marriage, and abolishing the IRS. 2. He's Anti-Choice
In an anti-abortion party, Cruz is particularly pro-life. In his 2012 Senate debate, he agreed with those present that any company should be allowed to deny women birth control, and he's opposed all public funding for abortion. He would also get rid of Obamacare altogether.  3. He Doesn't Believe In Global Warming
Just last week, on Seth Meyers' show, Cruz said he thinks that science doesn't back up the idea that our climate is changing. As evidence, he pointed to a recent trip he took to New Hampshire, where it was very snowy.  4. He Wants To Keep All Undocumented People Out Of The U.S.
Cruz lives in a border state and, despite being the first Canadian-born U.S. presidential candidate and the child of a Cuban immigrant, he's vigorously against any plans that would either allow undocumented immigrants into the country or give amnesty to those already here. Cruz was also strongly opposed to Obama's recent move to restore diplomatic relations with Cuba. 

5. He Once Read Green Eggs And Ham To The U.S. Congress
In 2013, Ted Cruz gave a 21-hour filibuster speech in the Senate in an attempt to defund Obamacare. As part of it, he read the Dr. Seuss classic to the United States Senate. 

Watch it here.