First Draft | Cruz, in Iowa, Commends Indiana for 'Doing the Right Thing' - New York Times

7:27 pm ET 7:27 pm ET

Nick Corasaniti

SIOUX CITY, Iowa – The more than 100 people who showed up for a town-hall-style event at Morningside College here on Wednesday heard Senator’s Ted Cruz’s thoughts on the battle over a law in Indiana billed as a religious freedom measure.

“We’re seeing in the news right now a lot of noise because the state of Indiana bravely stood up and passed a law defending religious liberty,” Mr. Cruz said in his opening remarks. “And I say this: I will commend the state of Indiana for doing the right thing.”

It seemed Mr. Cruz, a Texas Republican, had touched a nerve, as he was greeted with nods of approval and occasional applause. Indeed, western Iowa, where Morningside is, is one of the most conservative parts of the state, home to the evangelical population that has propped up candidates like Rick Santorum and Mike Huckabee in the past.

Three of the five questions that followed Mr. Cruz’s remarks were on religious liberty and same-sex marriage. Mr. Cruz was direct in his response, calling for unwavering defense of religious liberty in the name of the constitution, and criticizing those who disagree, although not by name.

He called out “the Fortune 500” for “running shamelessly to endorse the radical gay-marriage agenda over religious liberty.” And he lamented that “a whole lot of Republican politicians are terrified of this issue.”

“I can tell you, I’ve had a proven record for over a decade of fighting to defend marriage,” he added.

Judging by the applause and nodding heads, the senator’s message was well received.

“I don’t think you can force somebody to participate in something that goes against their religion,” said Tyler Brock, 41, who asked the first question regarding religious liberty at the event. “For me it is a litmus test, because somebody who won’t stand up for the very first thing in our constitution is not going to stand up for a lot of things down the road.”

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