Ted Cruz Siblings: All About Miriam Ceferina Cruz and Roxana Lourdes Cruz
Ted Cruz PHOTO/CNN
Ted Cruz is a prominent American politician serving as the junior United States Senator from Texas since 2013.
A member of the Republican Party, he is known for his conservative views, advocacy for limited government, and strong stances on issues like national security, economic growth, and constitutional rights.
Born Rafael Edward Cruz on December 22, 1970, in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, to an American mother and a Cuban immigrant father, he holds dual citizenship by birth but renounced his Canadian citizenship in 2014.
Cruz has built a reputation as a fierce debater and litigator, rising through legal and political roles to become a national figure.
Siblings
Ted has two older half-sisters from his father Rafael Cruz’s first marriage, Miriam Ceferina Cruz and Roxana Lourdes Cruz.
Miriam, the older of the two, struggled with addiction to alcohol and drugs throughout much of her life, which led to periods of incarceration for offenses such as shoplifting and other petty crimes.
She became a single mother but faced ongoing challenges, including an abusive relationship and escalating painkiller dependency.
Despite efforts by Ted and their father to help her, including interventions and support, she died in 2011 at age 49 from an accidental overdose involving a combination of prescription medications in a Philadelphia suburb.
His other half-sister, Roxana, has pursued a successful career as a medical doctor, practicing as an internist in Greenville, Texas.
Career
Cruz’s professional path began with academic excellence in debate and law.
He graduated cum laude from Princeton University in 1992 with a degree in public policy, where he excelled as a debater, earning top speaker honors at national and North American championships.
He then attended Harvard Law School, graduating magna cum laude in 1995 and serving in editorial roles on law journals.
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Early in his career, he clerked for Chief Justice William Rehnquist at the U.S. Supreme Court and worked in private practice, including advising on high-profile matters like the 2000 Bush v. Gore case.
He held roles in the Justice Department and Federal Trade Commission during the George W. Bush administration.
In 2003, at age 32, he became the youngest solicitor general of Texas, a position he held until 2008, during which he argued nine cases before the U.S. Supreme Court, defending issues like free speech, gun rights, and religious liberty.
Cruz entered the U.S. Senate in 2013 after winning election in 2012 as the first Hispanic senator from Texas.
In the Senate, he has focused on conservative priorities, including efforts to repeal aspects of the Affordable Care Act, promote energy independence, and confirm constitutionalist judges.
He ran for the Republican presidential nomination in 2016, finishing second to Donald Trump, and has continued serving in the Senate, winning reelection in subsequent cycles.
Accolades
At Princeton, he was named U.S. National Speaker of the Year and, with his debate partner, Team of the Year by the American Parliamentary Debate Association; the university even named an annual novice debate championship after him.
At Harvard, he earned high academic honors and was described by professor Alan Dershowitz as “off-the-charts brilliant.”
As solicitor general, he built a reputation as an effective litigator in landmark Supreme Court cases.
In the Senate, he has authored multiple measures signed into law, including expansions of education savings accounts, reforms to NASA, sanctions on terrorism, and efforts to address civil rights cold cases.
Organizations have honored him with awards such as the Club for Growth Defender of Economic Freedom Award for promoting limited government and economic growth, and the Legislator of the Year Award from the International Association of Drilling Contractors for advancing U.S. energy policies.