Cruz releases list of Iowa activist supporters

Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, who is putting a lot of emphasis on Iowa in his presidential campaign, is continuing to notch endorsements from some well-known activists in the state.

Former Secretary of State Matt Schultz told the Quad-City Times on Wednesday he is endorsing Cruz for president.

'I'm looking for somebody who's going to stand up and fight for our country, and he gives me hope we can turn things around,” said Schultz, who is now the Madison County Attorney. 'He's not going to back down from a fight.”

In a letter to two dozen members of the Cruz leadership team in Iowa, the campaign says it is drawing support from people who were active in the past campaigns of Rick Santorum, Mike Huckabee, Ron Paul, Michele Bachmann and Mitt Romney. Santorum and Huckabee are previous caucus winners.

The letter was provided by the Cruz campaign.

'He is going to do extraordinarily well in Iowa, and be competitive in every other state by bringing together all sides of the GOP coalition: social, fiscal and national security conservatives ...,” Bryan English, the Cruz campaign's state director in Iowa, wrote.

Others who are on Cruz's team include Bill Salier of Nora Springs, who ran for the party's 2002 U.S. Senate nomination; state Sen. Jake Chapman of Adel, state Rep. Larry Sheets of Moulton, Rep. Greg Heartsill of Melcher-Dallas, Rep. Steve Holt of Denison and Rep. Ralph Watts of Adel, as well as Vicki Crawford, a home school advocate from Granger, and the Revs. Mike Demastus of Des Moines and Bradley Cranston of Burlington.

Some of the two dozen on the leadership team already have made their support for Cruz known, including Joel Kurtinitis, Chad Steenhoek and state Sen. Jason Schultz of Schleswig, who are part of the Liberty movement in Iowa.

Here is the complete list: Matt Schultz, chair, Truro; Marlin Bontrager, Kalona; Becky Bontrager, Kalona; State Sen. Jake Chapman, Adel; The Rev. Bradley Cranston, Burlington; Vicki Crawford, Granger; Pastor Mike Demastus, Des Moines; State Sen. Dennis Guth, Klemme; State Rep. Greg Heartsill, Melcher; State Rep. Steve Holt, Denison; James Knox, Cedar Rapids; Joel Kurtinitis, Perry; Kelsey Kurtinitis, Perry; Bill Salier, Nora Springs; Dick Schlitter, Onawa; Dorothy Schlitter, Onawa; State Sen. Jason Schultz, Schleswig; State Rep. Larry Sheets, Moulton; Councilman Mick Snieder, Orange City; Adam Steen, West Des Moines; Chad Steenhoek, Ames; John Wacker, Garner; State Rep. Ralph Watts, Adel; The Rev. Darran Whiting, Marion.