Cruz Campaign Press Release - Cruz for President Announces Endorsement of Pastor Tommy Kelly

HOUSTON, Texas — Presidential candidate Ted Cruz today announced the endorsement of Dr. Tommy Kelly, outgoing president of the South Carolina Southern Baptist Convention and the pastor of Varnville First Baptist Church. More than 2,100 churches are part of the South Carolina Southern Baptist Convention, and membership is 750,000 people statewide. Pastor Kelly will join Ted Cruz for a rally at North Greenville University this Friday evening. His endorsement joins more than 400 clergy and faith leaders who have formally endorsed Ted Cruz for President.

"I am looking for a president who leads with wisdom, compassion, and strength," Kelly said. "In Ted Cruz I have been pleased to find a man of character and a battle-tested leader. Of all the candidates, I am confident that Mr. Cruz will make the best Commander in Chief, and he is the candidate best positioned to win. I look forward to helping Ted Cruz turn out the vote among Southern Baptists. If people of faith go to the polls we will reignite the promise of America."

"I am thrilled to welcome Dr. Kelly to our faith and religious liberty coalition," Cruz said. "More than 100 other faith leaders in South Carolina have already endorsed our campaign and I appreciate Pastor Kelly's leadership among South Carolina Baptists. I look forward to working with him to bring conservatives together behind our campaign."

Pastor Kelly was ordained in 1988 at Carlisle Baptist Church in South Carolina. He holds a Masters of Divinity from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and a Doctorate of Ministry from Erskine Theological Seminary. The South Carolina Southern Baptist Convention, at which Kelly just concluded a term as president, is the first state Baptist convention to have been organized in the United States.