Texas Sen. Ted Cruz recently launched a “Shoot with Cruz” fundraiser to support his campaign for the GOP 2016 presidential nomination, but full details may not be entirely clear to contestants hoping to win an “excursion” with the presidential hopeful.
Sweepstakes contestants can submit entries online before the June 10 deadline, make a “generous Shoot with Ted contribution of $35, $50, $100 or more” to Cruz’s campaign and then await word of the winner – one who will, according to Cruz’s email to campaign supporters, help “reignite the promise of America and bring true, conservative leadership to the White House.”
But there’s a curious twist to the sweepstakes that may not be obvious to contest entrants: before accompanying Cruz on the shooting adventure, the winner could be required to undergo a background check.
RELATED: Ted Cruz apologizes for Biden joke after death of vice president’s son
The sweepstakes requirement may catch winners off-guard, since Cruz has ardently fought against gun control, most notably in the aftermath of the Sandy Hook elementary school shooting in 2012. Cruz and fellow senate Republicans blocked President Obama’s efforts to mandate background checks prior to gun purchases, and Cruz promised to “use any procedural means necessary to protect those fundamental rights.”
“… I fought back, ready to shut down the Senate to stop any legislation undermining the 2nd Amendment right to keep and bear arms,” he wrote in email to supporters, adding that his commitment to the right to bear arms is evident in his “tooth and nail” fight to stave off expanded gun regulations.









