Texas Republican Sen. Ted Cruz To Launch Presidential Bid

WASHINGTON (AP) — Texas Sen. Ted Cruz plans to announce Monday that he is running for president.

The news comes from a strategist for the first-term Republican senator, who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity so as not to preclude the formal announcement.

The 44-year-old Cruz will be the first high-profile candidate to formally launch a White House bid, although several GOP contenders are expected to enter the race in the coming weeks.

After joining the Senate in 2013, Cruz established himself as an uncompromising conservative willing to take on Democrats and Republicans alike. He promises to repeal the federal health care law, abolish the Internal Revenue Service and scrap the Education Department.

Cruz's plans were first reported by The Houston Chronicle.

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