Statement by Senator Ted Cruz on Thanksgiving

HOUSTON, Texas — Presidential candidate Ted Cruz issued the following statement in observance of Thanksgiving:

"On this Thanksgiving, as we gather with family and loved ones, we celebrate the blessings the Lord has bestowed upon us and this great nation. Particularly this year, as we face many uncertainties – from the threats of terror to economic hardships – let us take time to thank God for all that He has given us and ask for His provision in our lives and our country.

"When we think back to that first Thanksgiving in 1621, and all that the Pilgrims endured, only half surviving the first brutal winter, we remember sacrifice upon which this land was built – and the sacrifice that continues to keep us free and safe. In the struggle for independence, the brave motley group of soldiers defeated the greatest military force in the world. In the battle against slavery, the blood shed to purge this people from our original sin. In the World Wars, the thousands who fought in the trenches and scaled the cliffs of Normandy to save the American idea.

"We are grateful for all those who have gone before us and for those who continue to serve: for the soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines who courageously defend our freedom. For the police officers, firefighters, and first responders who protect our communities. And for the pastors, teachers, and parents who guide us to know the truth, and be set free by it.

"And we remember President George Washington's call in the first Thanksgiving Day Proclamation, 226 years ago, to 'unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations, and beseech Him to pardon our national and other transgressions... to render our National Government a blessing to all the people... and to promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue.'

"It is this hope in a Higher Ruler that inspired the Pilgrims to leave everything in pursuit of freedom, and it is this same Providence that, if we call upon the name of the Lord, will restore the promise of America."