Texas Sen. Ted Cruz has chairmen supporting his presidential campaign in every county of the first four nominating states, his campaign announced on Wednesday.
The Cruz campaign’s announcement that it has a campaign-appointed leader in every county in Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina, and Nevada is designed to show the growing infrastructure of the senator’s campaign.
“The only way we will turn our country around is through a grassroots uprising of the American people, and I’m grateful for the many courageous conservatives in the early states who have stepped forward to lead that grassroots movement,” Cruz said in a statement. “I’ve always known we would have a great organization, but having a leader the 171 counties that comprise the four early states is an incredible achievement.”
The 340 chairs and co-chairs that the Cruz campaign made public Wednesday join team leaders in 19 states and the Virgin Islands. Cruz’s team has sent operatives out to several faraway territories as it prepares to clear a path to the GOP nomination in 2016.
Such territories could have a greater effect on the 2016 presidential race if more candidates linger through Super Tuesday primaries next spring. One territory, Puerto Rico, will have the same amount or more delegates for the presidential nominating process than six states, including New Hampshire, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, Rhode Island and Vermont, according to the delegate projections recently released by the Republican National Committee. Cruz may capitalize on lesser-known territories as he looks to find a majority of delegates in eight states or territories that is required to win the Republican nomination.
