Ted Cruz's Eligibility Is Going to Court

Illinois voter says he's too Canadian to be on the ballot
By Rob Quinn,  Newser Staff
Posted Feb 19, 2016 1:03 AM CST
Updated Feb 19, 2016 6:33 AM CST
Cruz's Eligibility Is Going to Court
Ted Cruz is seen during a meet and greet at a restaurant in Seneca, SC, on Wednesday.   (AP Photo/Alex Sanz)

The question of whether Ted Cruz is too Canadian to be president will be in front of a court in Illinois on Friday, which CNN notes will raise the unwelcome issue for him the day before the South Carolina primary. The case, which will be heard by the Circuit Court of Cook County in Chicago, was brought by Illinois voter Lawrence Joyce. He says the senator, who was born in Alberta to an American mother and Cuban father, is clearly not a natural-born citizen of the United States and is therefore ineligible to be president. An earlier complaint from Joyce—a Republican who supports Ben Carson—was dismissed by the state's Board of Elections earlier this month.

"What I fear is that [if] Ted Cruz becomes the nominee, come September, Congressman Alan Grayson of Florida will go forward with his threats and probably several other Democrats will file suit to prevent Ted Cruz from being on the ballot," Joyce tells USA Today. "What Democrats will do at that point is cherry-pick which county courthouse they are going to show up [to] in order to file these petitions," leading to victories that could force Cruz to give up the nomination, he says. The CBC notes that opponents are playing pranks online to remind people of the issue, with TedCruzforAmerica.com directing people to a Canadian immigration page. (Donald Trump has also threatened to sue Cruz over his eligibility.)

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