Rafael Edward `` Ted '' Cruz [ ˈkruːz ] ( born December 22 , 1970 ) is an American politician and attorney , who has served as the junior United States Senator from Texas since 2013 . Cruz graduated from Princeton University , New Jersey , in 1992 , and from Harvard Law School , Massachusetts , in 1995 . He was the first Hispanic , and the longest-serving , Solicitor General in Texas history . He is the first Hispanic American to serve as a U.S. Senator representing Texas , and is one of three senators of Cuban descent .
Ted Cruz is from the United States.