Republican Ted Cruz Launches Presidential Campaign.

Republican Senator Ted Cruz of Texas became the first official candidate for the 2016 U.S. presidential election, announcing in a speech Monday he will run for president. Cruz will be part of what is expected to be a large field of Republican White House contenders, in contrast to the Democratic Party which is focused on the still-unnanounced candidacy of former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. VOA National correspondent Jim Malone has more from Washington.