Republican presidential hopeful Ted Cruz to speak in Nashville

That day 14 states will select delegates – majority in the South – and Cruz hopes to ride them to the Republcian nomination. “That is what this campaign is all about”, Cruz told the crowd.

The Texas Senator stopped in Knoxville amid an eight-state, 12-city “Christmas tour”.

Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz is making a big bet on building a strong organization outside of the four early voting states of Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina and Nevada.

“For the top two presidential contenders on the republican side to come to Knoxville, I think it speaks tremendous volumes about Tennessee and how important Tennessee is and how important it’s going to be on Super Tuesday in the March 1 primary”, said Representative Jason Zachary.

Cruz stood before an emphatic crowd of roughly 2,000 people – on his birthday – with a few words on reducing government oversight.

He also promised to repeal the Affordable Care Act and destroy ISIS.

After journeying through deserts and across the Rio Grande, he said, would-be immigrants at the U.S.-Mexico border would turn back around upon seeing the agents.

“Sadly, the state of Tennessee has seen the tragic consequences of this administration’s policies”, Cruz said.

He repeated several times his desire to eradicate members of the Islamic State in Syria and Iraq.

“We will pass fundamental tax reform; we will pass a simple flax tax”, Cruz said.

Denise Martin of Greenwood, who serves as one of the group’s adult sponsors, said the students are learning valuable lessons about the political process, how the system works and how to work within the system to bring change.

He threatened military force in those areas, and pushed relaxed rules of engagement – the rules that guide the military on when to use force.

“So as those other candidates fall off, where do the Carson people go?”

“He’s right on, he’s what we need”, Cruz supporter Tarah Sutton said.