“I think it's an enormous blessing to be the child of an immigrant who fled oppression, because you realize how fragile liberty is and how easily it can be taken away.”

U.S. senator and former Texas attorney general, born in 1970. A conservative Republican, he is best known for his contentious political career, including his 2016 presidential primary campaign and his role in the 2013 government shutdown. His rhetoric often emphasizes limited government, constitutionalism, and opposition to progressive policies.