US senator becomes 1st Republican to declare 2016 presidential bid

United States Senator, Ted Cruz has officially declared his presidential bid ahead of the 2016 presidential elections, becoming the first Republican to make the move.

The 44-year-old Texas native is expected to set out his plans in detail in a speech at Liberty University, Virginia today, Monday.

In a Twitter vine, Romney said:

Related Post: Former Italian PM cleared the air of his sexual crime charges

"It is going to take a new generation of courageous conservatives to make America great again."

Cruz, who commentators say is a party favourite, was forced to give up his Canadian citizenship last year, after his eligibility to run was thrown into doubt when it emerged that he was born in Canda.

In September 2013, he gave a 21-hour speech against President Barack Obama's health law - one of the longest speeches in Senate history.

Related Post: Man kills his friend over drug

Several other US presidential hopefuls are expected to declare their intentions in the coming weeks. Among those expected to declare are: Jed Bush, who was the former Governor of Florida and is the younger brother to former president, George W. Bush, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, Senator Elizabeth Warren, Senator Rand Paul and former First Lady and Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton.