- Sen. Ted Cruz
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Press Release from Cruz for President
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | Rick
Tyler |
News Release | Catherine
Frazier |
January 15, 2016 |
Cruz for President
Announces Endorsement of Pastor Tommy Kelly
South Carolina Southern Baptist Leader Supports Cruz for President
HOUSTON, Texas
- Presidential candidate Ted Cruz today announced the endorsement of
Dr. Tommy Kelly, outgoing president of the South Carolina Southern
Baptist Convention and the pastor of Varnville First Baptist Church.
More than 2,100 churches are part of the South Carolina Southern
Baptist Convention, and membership is 750,000 people statewide. Pastor
Kelly will join Ted Cruz for a rally at North Greenville University
this Friday evening. His endorsement joins more than 400 clergy and
faith leaders who have formally endorsed Ted Cruz for President.
“I
am looking for a president who leads with wisdom, compassion, and
strength,“ Kelly said. “In Ted Cruz I have been pleased to find a man
of character and a battle-tested leader. Of all the candidates, I am
confident that Mr. Cruz will make the best Commander in Chief, and he
is the candidate best positioned to win. I look forward to helping Ted
Cruz turn out the vote among Southern Baptists. If people of faith go
to the polls we will reignite the promise of America."
“I
am thrilled to welcome Dr. Kelly to our faith and religious liberty
coalition,” Cruz said. “More than 100 other faith leaders in South
Carolina have already endorsed our campaign and I appreciate Pastor
Kelly’s leadership among South Carolina Baptists. I look forward to
working with him to bring conservatives together behind our campaign."
Pastor
Kelly was ordained in 1988 at Carlisle Baptist Church in South
Carolina. He holds a Masters of Divinity from Southern Baptist
Theological Seminary and a Doctorate of Ministry from Erskine
Theological Seminary. The South Carolina Southern Baptist Convention,
at which Kelly just concluded a term as president, is the first state
Baptist convention to have been organized in the United States.
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