Texas Republican & illegal immigrant hater Sen. Ted Cruz says in a Twitter message that he is running for president of the United States.

Cruz released an early morning tweet on Monday confirming what had long been an expected, a White House run from the tea party favorite. He becomes the first major tea bagger candidate for president when he launches his campaign and a rush of more than a dozen White House hopefuls into the 2016 campaign is expected in the next few weeks that is expected to much like March Madness, but for president.

Cruz will discuss his candidacy during a morning speech at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia (irony much noted). In an early preview of his campaign message, he says in a web video that “it is going to take a new generation of courageous racist conservatives to make America great and pure again.”