Rafael Edward Cruz

Current Position and Previous Key Roles:

Nationality: American (born in Calgary, Alberta, Canada; U.S. citizen by birth through his American mother; renounced Canadian citizenship in 2014 to focus on his American identity).
Marriage: Married to Heidi Nelson Cruz (executive at Goldman Sachs). They married in 2001.
Children: Two daughters: Caroline (born around 2008) and Catherine (born around 2011).
Religious Affiliation: Southern Baptist Christian. He was raised in a Southern Baptist church and is known as one of the Baptist senators in the U.S. Senate (a member of the Southern Baptist Convention).
Current Position: U.S. Senator from Texas (junior U.S. Senator from Texas), serving since January 2013. His current term lasts until January 2031 (following his victory in the 2024 elections).

Key Previous Positions: Private attorney at Morgan Lewis & Bockius (2008–2012). Law clerk for Chief Justice William Rehnquist at the U.S. Supreme Court (1996–1997). Associate Deputy Attorney General at the U.S. Department of Justice (2001). Director of Policy Planning at the Federal Trade Commission (FTC, 2000–2001). Policy advisor in George W. Bush’s presidential campaign (2000).

Has he traveled to Israel :

Yes, he has made several official and unofficial visits to Israel, including: January 2013: Travelled with a Congressional delegation (CODEL) to meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other security officials. May 2018: Attended the U.S. Embassy opening in Jerusalem (Jerusalem as Israel’s capital); this was his fourth visit in five years. March 2021: Travelled with Senator Bill Hagerty to assess Israel’s security needs following clashes with Hamas, meeting with Netanyahu and emphasizing full U.S. support for Israel.He is a staunch supporter of Israel, having spoken at AIPAC conferences and consistently advocated for military aid, condemned Iran and Hamas, and supported the relocation of the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem.