{
  "name": "Rafael Edward Cruz",
  "party": "Republican",
  "role": "U.S. Senator",
  "state": "Texas",
  "district": null,
  "bio": "Ted Cruz was born on December 22, 1970, in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, to a Cuban immigrant father and an American mother. He graduated from Princeton University and Harvard Law School, later serving as Solicitor General of Texas from 2003 to 2008. Cruz was elected to the U.S. Senate from Texas in 2012, becoming the first Hispanic U.S. Senator from Texas, and ran unsuccessfully for the Republican presidential nomination in 2016. He is known as a staunch constitutional conservative, advocating for limited government, lower taxes, strong border security, and originalist judicial appointments.",
  "promises": [
    {
      "type": "promise",
      "text": "Repeal the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) entirely",
      "status": "broken",
      "analysis": "Cruz repeatedly campaigned on full repeal of the ACA. Despite Republican control of Congress in 2017, the Senate failed to pass a full repeal bill, and Cruz voted for a partial repeal effort (the 'skinny repeal') that also failed. The ACA remained law as of 2024.",
      "category": "Healthcare",
      "year": 2013
    },
    {
      "type": "promise",
      "text": "Abolish the IRS and implement a flat tax",
      "status": "broken",
      "analysis": "Cruz made abolishing the IRS a central plank of his 2016 presidential campaign and his Senate platform. No serious legislative vehicle to abolish the IRS advanced during his tenure, and the IRS remained fully operational. The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, which Cruz opposed, actually increased IRS funding.",
      "category": "Economy",
      "year": 2016
    },
    {
      "type": "promise",
      "text": "Build a wall along the entire U.S.-Mexico border and secure the border",
      "status": "in_progress",
      "analysis": "Cruz consistently championed border wall construction and comprehensive border enforcement. Partial wall funding was secured during the Trump administration, but a complete wall was never built. Cruz continues to advocate for stricter border policies and has supported various border security bills in the Senate.",
      "category": "Immigration",
      "year": 2012
    },
    {
      "type": "promise",
      "text": "Oppose any form of amnesty for undocumented immigrants",
      "status": "kept",
      "analysis": "Cruz consistently opposed amnesty legislation throughout his Senate tenure, including the Gang of Eight immigration reform bill in 2013. He voted against the bipartisan 2013 comprehensive immigration reform package and opposed similar measures in subsequent years, maintaining a hard line against pathways to citizenship for undocumented immigrants.",
      "category": "Immigration",
      "year": 2013
    },
    {
      "type": "promise",
      "text": "Appoint and confirm constitutionalist, originalist judges to the federal judiciary",
      "status": "kept",
      "analysis": "Cruz strongly supported the nominations of Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, and Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court, all of whom were confirmed. He also supported numerous originalist federal appellate and district court nominees during the Trump administration. Cruz's Judiciary Committee work helped advance these confirmations.",
      "category": "Civil Rights",
      "year": 2017
    },
    {
      "type": "promise",
      "text": "Defund Planned Parenthood",
      "status": "broken",
      "analysis": "Cruz repeatedly called for defunding Planned Parenthood, including during his 2016 presidential run and in multiple Senate sessions. Despite Republican majorities, Congress never passed standalone legislation to eliminate federal funding for Planned Parenthood, and the organization continued to receive federal reimbursements through Medicaid.",
      "category": "Healthcare",
      "year": 2015
    },
    {
      "type": "promise",
      "text": "Withdraw the United States from the Paris Climate Agreement",
      "status": "kept",
      "analysis": "Cruz was an outspoken advocate for U.S. withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement, arguing it harmed American energy competitiveness. President Trump announced U.S. withdrawal in 2017, consistent with Cruz's stated position. Cruz consistently opposed climate-related legislation and supported fossil fuel industries throughout his Senate tenure.",
      "category": "Environment",
      "year": 2017
    },
    {
      "type": "promise",
      "text": "Protect Second Amendment rights and oppose new gun control legislation",
      "status": "kept",
      "analysis": "Cruz consistently opposed gun control measures throughout his Senate tenure and received an 'A' rating from the NRA. He voted against background check expansion legislation in 2013 and opposed the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act in 2022, which was the most significant gun legislation passed in decades.",
      "category": "Civil Rights",
      "year": 2013
    },
    {
      "type": "promise",
      "text": "Object to certification of the 2020 presidential election results in at least some states",
      "status": "kept",
      "analysis": "Cruz announced before January 6, 2021, that he would object to certifying the Electoral College results without an audit. He led a group of senators in formally objecting to Arizona's electoral votes on January 6-7, 2021, following the Capitol riot. His objection was ultimately unsuccessful, and Biden's election was certified.",
      "category": "Government Reform",
      "year": 2021
    },
    {
      "type": "promise",
      "text": "Reduce federal spending and the national debt",
      "status": "broken",
      "analysis": "Cruz consistently campaigned on fiscal conservatism and reducing federal debt. However, he voted for the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which the CBO projected would add approximately $1.5 trillion to the deficit over ten years. The national debt continued to grow substantially during his tenure, undermining his stated fiscal goals.",
      "category": "Economy",
      "year": 2017
    },
    {
      "type": "vote",
      "text": "Voted against the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013, opposing a budget deal that avoided a government shutdown",
      "status": "kept",
      "analysis": "Cruz voted against the Murray-Ryan budget compromise in December 2013, consistent with his stated opposition to spending deals that he viewed as insufficient in reducing the deficit. His vote aligned with his platform of fiscal conservatism and opposition to compromise spending legislation.",
      "category": "Economy",
      "year": 2013
    },
    {
      "type": "vote",
      "text": "Voted against the Gang of Eight Immigration Reform Bill (S. 744, Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act)",
      "status": "kept",
      "analysis": "Cruz voted against the comprehensive immigration reform bill in 2013, consistent with his stated opposition to any pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants. His vote aligned directly with his campaign promises on immigration enforcement and border security.",
      "category": "Immigration",
      "year": 2013
    },
    {
      "type": "vote",
      "text": "Voted for the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017",
      "status": "kept",
      "analysis": "Cruz voted for the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which slashed the corporate tax rate from 35% to 21% and reduced individual income tax rates. This aligned with his longstanding campaign promises to reduce taxes, though critics noted it added substantially to the national debt, creating tension with his stated fiscal conservatism.",
      "category": "Economy",
      "year": 2017
    },
    {
      "type": "vote",
      "text": "Voted against the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022",
      "status": "kept",
      "analysis": "Cruz voted against the Inflation Reduction Act, which included major climate investments, drug pricing reforms, and IRS funding increases. His vote was consistent with his opposition to climate legislation, government spending increases, and pharmaceutical price controls. All Senate Republicans voted against the bill.",
      "category": "Environment",
      "year": 2022
    },
    {
      "type": "vote",
      "text": "Voted against the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act of 2022",
      "status": "kept",
      "analysis": "Cruz voted against the first significant federal gun safety legislation in nearly 30 years, which passed with some Republican support. His vote was consistent with his stated commitment to Second Amendment rights and his opposition to new gun restrictions, which he had repeatedly championed throughout his Senate career.",
      "category": "Civil Rights",
      "year": 2022
    },
    {
      "type": "vote",
      "text": "Voted for Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation to the Supreme Court in 2018",
      "status": "kept",
      "analysis": "Cruz voted to confirm Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court despite contentious confirmation hearings, consistent with his stated commitment to appointing originalist conservative judges. Cruz was a vocal defender of Kavanaugh during the process and his vote aligned with his judicial appointment priorities.",
      "category": "Civil Rights",
      "year": 2018
    },
    {
      "type": "vote",
      "text": "Voted against the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (COVID-19 relief)",
      "status": "kept",
      "analysis": "Cruz voted against the $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package, arguing it was excessive spending and not targeted enough. His vote was consistent with his stated platform of limiting federal spending and opposing large government stimulus packages. All Senate Republicans voted against the bill.",
      "category": "Economy",
      "year": 2021
    },
    {
      "type": "vote",
      "text": "Voted against the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021",
      "status": "kept",
      "analysis": "Cruz voted against the bipartisan infrastructure bill, which passed with 19 Republican Senate votes. He argued the bill was too expensive and constituted excessive government spending. His vote was consistent with his fiscal conservatism platform, though some conservatives noted the bill included genuine infrastructure improvements.",
      "category": "Infrastructure",
      "year": 2021
    },
    {
      "type": "vote",
      "text": "Voted against the USA FREEDOM Act reauthorization of NSA surveillance powers in 2020",
      "status": "kept",
      "analysis": "Cruz voted against reauthorization of the USA FREEDOM Act, citing concerns about government surveillance overreach and civil liberties. This was consistent with his stated libertarian-leaning positions on domestic surveillance and Fourth Amendment protections, representing one of his more principled stands against government overreach.",
      "category": "Civil Rights",
      "year": 2020
    },
    {
      "type": "vote",
      "text": "Voted to acquit President Trump in the first impeachment trial (abuse of power and obstruction of Congress charges) in 2020",
      "status": "kept",
      "analysis": "Cruz voted to acquit President Trump on both articles of impeachment, arguing the charges did not meet the constitutional standard for removal. His vote was consistent with his stated position that the impeachment was a partisan effort and that the charges were insufficient for removing a president.",
      "category": "Government Reform",
      "year": 2020
    },
    {
      "type": "action",
      "text": "Led a 21-hour floor speech (quasi-filibuster) against the Affordable Care Act in September 2013, helping precipitate the 2013 government shutdown",
      "status": "kept",
      "analysis": "Cruz's marathon floor speech galvanized conservative opposition to the ACA and contributed to the 16-day government shutdown in October 2013 when House Republicans refused to pass a continuing resolution funding the ACA. While the ACA was not defunded, Cruz's action fulfilled his promise to use every procedural tool available to stop the law.",
      "category": "Healthcare",
      "year": 2013
    },
    {
      "type": "action",
      "text": "Introduced the Protect Interstate Commerce Act to block state laws regulating agricultural products across state lines",
      "status": "kept",
      "analysis": "Cruz introduced legislation designed to preempt California's Proposition 12, which imposed animal welfare requirements on pork sold in California. The legislation aligned with his stated commitment to free interstate commerce and opposition to states using market power to impose regulations on out-of-state producers.",
      "category": "Economy",
      "year": 2021
    },
    {
      "type": "action",
      "text": "Introduced the Stop University Political Operatives (SUPO) Act to restrict tax-exempt universities from engaging in get-out-the-vote activities",
      "status": "in_progress",
      "analysis": "Cruz introduced legislation in 2022 targeting what he characterized as politically biased voter registration activities by universities using tax-exempt funds. The bill did not advance in the Democratic-controlled Senate. Cruz argued universities were using federal resources to register Democrat-leaning voters.",
      "category": "Education",
      "year": 2022
    },
    {
      "type": "action",
      "text": "Co-sponsored and advocated for the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act",
      "status": "broken",
      "analysis": "Cruz co-sponsored legislation requiring medical care for infants born alive after attempted abortions. The bill repeatedly failed to achieve the 60 votes needed to overcome Democratic filibusters in the Senate. Despite Cruz's efforts to force floor votes on multiple occasions between 2019 and 2022, the bill never passed.",
      "category": "Healthcare",
      "year": 2019
    },
    {
      "type": "action",
      "text": "Filed amicus briefs and publicly championed the Supreme Court cases NYSRPA v. Bruen (2022) and Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization (2022)",
      "status": "kept",
      "analysis": "Cruz filed amicus briefs supporting gun rights in Bruen and abortion restrictions in Dobbs, both of which resulted in landmark rulings consistent with his stated positions. The Supreme Court ruled in favor of broader gun rights in Bruen and overturned Roe v. Wade in Dobbs, representing significant victories for Cruz's stated legal priorities.",
      "category": "Civil Rights",
      "year": 2022
    },
    {
      "type": "action",
      "text": "Introduced the Expatriate Terrorist Act to strip citizenship from Americans who join ISIS or other foreign terrorist organizations",
      "status": "in_progress",
      "analysis": "Cruz introduced this legislation in 2015 in response to American citizens traveling to join ISIS. The bill gained attention but did not advance to a floor vote. Cruz argued existing law was insufficient to address Americans who take up arms against the United States with foreign terrorist organizations.",
      "category": "Foreign Policy",
      "year": 2015
    },
    {
      "type": "action",
      "text": "Traveled to Cancun, Mexico, during the February 2021 Texas winter storm crisis while constituents faced power outages and life-threatening conditions",
      "status": "broken",
      "analysis": "Cruz departed for Cancun on February 17, 2021, as millions of Texans faced a catastrophic winter storm with power outages, frozen pipes, and at least 246 deaths. He initially blamed his daughters for the trip before returning to Texas the following day amid intense public backlash. The action was widely seen as a failure to fulfill his duty to constituents during a crisis.",
      "category": "Other",
      "year": 2021
    }
  ],
  "score": 75,
  "scoreBreakdown": {
    "kept": 18,
    "broken": 6,
    "inProgress": 3
  }
}