Texas Senator Ted Cruz officially announced his candidacy for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination March 23, at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Va.

With over 19 months remaining until the 2016 election, Cruz announcing as the first major candidate helps him.

Because Cruz is often on the attack against the Democratic Party, as well as within party lines, Cruz is going to find himself under severe attack from all fronts, from beginning to end. of the Republican Primary. But, the junior Senator from Texas was elected to shake up Washington, end the status quo of going with what everyone else wants, and actually representing his constituents.

Foreign Policy Magazine called Ted Cruz the most hated man in the Senate in 2013 and referred to him as “the human equivalent of one of those flower-squirters that clowns wear on their lapels.”

A recent Wall Street Journal Poll noted that only 40 percent of Republicans said they could support Cruz while 38 percent said they could not. A candidate with this sort of reputation among his own party needs to go on the attack, and define what his intentions are early, and that is exactly what Cruz has done.

Cruz’s chance of winning the nomination is already viewed as a long shot. His reputation among the party elites is not great. In the 2012 election, he beat sitting Lt. Governor David Dewhurst, a party favorite, by 14 percent in the runoffs for the senatorial election. Defeating a party elite favorite usually doesn’t sit well, so Cruz has some ground to kiss to make up for his victory.

Currently, Cruz holds around 6 percent of the national vote, which means it’s going to be an uphill battle. Announcing early gives Cruz the media attention nobody else yet possesses, which will bring more light to the candidate. In turn, people would get to know who Ted Cruz is, rather than knowing him as the senator who filibustered the Obamacare vote for 21 hours and read Dr. Suess’ “Green Eggs and Ham” cover to cover before the Senate.

Though his views are extremely conservative, Cruz has always stood his ground and by his word, and has fought for what he was voted to do. He has never gone against what his views are to satisfy a group of people, and that is something people within the party can back up. Someone who is open with their intentions and does as they say they are going to do, rather than go out the back door saying one thing and doing another.

His early announcement will give him the opportunity to make his views nationally known, and clear. He will be able to start digging up information on any potential candidate that announces after him, and not need to worry if someone else is going to do the same. He has already announced. He’s got no worries. Viva La Cruz.