Cruz Campaign Press Release - ICYMI: Bob Vander Plaats Endorses Ted Cruz for President

HOUSTON, Texas – Yesterday, one of Iowa's most influential conservatives, Bob Vander Plaats, President and CEO of the FAMiLY LEADER, endorsed Ted Cruz for President. Below is a roundup of some of the coverage of the endorsement:

New York Times: Vander Plaats "Going All In" for Cruz

Senator Ted Cruz of Texas on Thursday won the endorsement of Bob Vander Plaats, an influential leader of Iowa's Christian right, who called on conservatives to unite behind Mr. Cruz, now in a close contest with Donald J. Trump in the state...

This time, Mr. Vander Plaats said, Mr. Cruz is much better positioned to be the nominee because of deep financial resources and a national grass-roots revolt against the Republican establishment.

"We will be going all in for Senator Ted Cruz,'' Mr. Vander Plaats said, speaking in the rotunda of the state Capitol.

In an Iowa poll this week, Mr. Cruz was in first place for the first time in an early voting state, but a second poll showed Mr. Trump leading. The two are increasingly in a battle for the state's more conservative voters, with Mr. Cruz appealing more to evangelicals and Mr. Trump to more secular, disaffected blue-collar Iowans.

Bryan English, Mr. Cruz's Iowa director, called the endorsement "a very significant day in the campaign" because of Mr. Vander Plaats's influence with "an audience that is highly motivated.'' Evangelical Christians represented about 60 percent of voters in the past two Republican caucuses, ensuring Mr. Huckabee's victory in 2008 and Mr. Santorum's in 2012. Their eventual collapse, in the view of many conservatives, was because the party's right wing never united behind them.

National social conservative leaders have sought to avoid the same fate this year, holding many private meetings to discuss which candidate to endorse. Mr. Cruz seems to be emerging as their choice: On Wednesday he won the support of the National Organization for Marriage and Richard A. Viguerie, a conservative activist.

Congratulations @tedcruz on endorsement of Bob Vander Plaats & Family Leaders. Conservatives can now coalesce 4 Cruz https://t.co/7d5Sy9LhYg

— Steve King (@SteveKingIA) December 11, 2015

Bloomberg: Cruz Wins Endorsement From Top Iowa Christian Conservative

Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz on Thursday won the highly coveted endorsement of Iowa's Bob Vander Plaats, one of the most visible leaders of the Christian conservative movement in the state that starts the nomination voting...

Vander Plaats has said he wanted to deliver his stamp of approval well ahead of the caucuses because he hopes it will help spur social conservatives to coalesce around a single candidate...

"The extraordinary leader that we need for these extraordinary times is U.S. Senator Ted Cruz," Vander Plaats said at a news conference in Des Moines, emphasizing the need for social conservatives to coalesce around one person.

Another big endorsement for @tedcruz The Family Leader, endorsed Sen. Ted Cruz -CEO Bob Vander Plaats holds sway w/ IA evangelical voters

— Bret Baier (@BretBaier) December 10, 2015

Radio Iowa: Vander Plaats: In Iowa, Cruz has strong organizational muscle

Vander Plaats credited Cruz with having the organizational muscle in place to run a successful campaign in Iowa and elsewhere, plus Vander Plaats praised Cruz's campaign fundraising.

"Our goal is to unite conservatives around Senator Ted Cruz and I believe you're starting to see that happen already in the state of Iowa, but I also believe around the country," Vander Plaats said. "...We have believed for a long time if we're united, we'll win. If we're divided, we're going to repeat 2008 and 2012."

Politico: Cruz scores one of "the most coveted endorsements" in Iowa

Vander Plaats, the head of the evangelical group Family Leader, offers the most coveted endorsement in the state for Republicans seeking to lock up the Christian conservative vote. He and his massive network of pastors and other religious activists helped propel Rick Santorum to a narrow caucus victory in 2012, and Mike Huckabee to a win in 2008.

Vander Plaats has long expressed hope that the conservative movement would coalesce behind one candidate before the Iowa Caucuses, with the aim of helping that person land a decisive win there, generating enough momentum to beat out establishment rivals for the GOP nomination.

The Cruz campaign has built out extensive infrastructure in the first four early states, as well as in all of the states that vote up through March 15.

Ted Cruz picks up Bob Vander Plaats endorsement in Iowa — https://t.co/4kGK7T758Y https://t.co/ZZOQ9ykyQ1

— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) December 10, 2015

Dallas Morning News: "The most influential Christian conservative leader in Iowa" endorses Cruz

Vander Plaats, president of the Family Leader, is the most influential Christian conservative leader in Iowa. The state's Feb. 1 caucuses are the first test of the 2016 presidential campaign, and social conservatives have considerable influence...

"What's appealing about Ted Cruz is he still gives that 'outside' appearance," Vander Plaats told the Register. "He has not been embraced by the Washington establishment community, on either side of the aisle. So he's still viewed as that outside candidate who really knows how this thing works and what needs to be changed."

Conservative Review: Ted Cruz Sweeps Iowa Endorsements

With the combined endorsements of Bob Vander Plaats, Congressman Steve King, and Conservative Review contributor and talk show host Steve Deace, Cruz has consolidated the support of the conservative grassroots leaders in Iowa.

If Cruz is able to unite conservatives behind his campaign nationally, as he has done today in Iowa, he could very well be the Republican nominee.

WHO-TV: "Republican kingmaker" endorses Cruz in Iowa

Bob Vander Plaats, president of The Family Leader, is regarded in the state as a "Republican kingmaker." He announced his endorsement in the Rotunda of the Iowa State Capitol.