Ted Cruz Wins Endorsement of Antigay Hate Group Official

The Republican presidential campaign of Texas Sen. Ted Cruz announced three new endorsements late last week, adding additional antigay ammunition to the right-wing firebrand's arsenal of support.

While all three new endorsements are well-known conservative women, one stands out from the rest: Sandy Rios, a radio host and director of governmental affairs for the American Family Association, certified as an anti-LGBT hate group by the progressive Southern Poverty Law Center. Rios is also host of "Sandy Rios in the Morning on AFR Talk" heard on nearly 200 stations through the American Family Radio Network, a production of the AFA.

Right Wing Watch reports that Rios has repeatedly attacked gays, Muslims, and Jewish people, all while warning that "God's judgment will soon fall upon this nation."

The other endorsements came from Lori Roma, the former executive director of the American Legislative Exchange Council, a far-right organization the Human Rights Campaign says has a long antigay history, and Susan Carleson, the Chairman and CEO of the American Civil Rights Union, which is dedicated to promoting a government that will "secure our God-given rights, not to restrict them, nor to invent new rights -- particularly new rights that infringe on the God-given rights of others," according to its website.

"I am thrilled to have the support of three of the conservative movement's strongest voices for families, religious liberty and the unborn," said Sen. Cruz through his website. "We are running an aggressive grassroots campaign and their help engaging and motivating conservative voters gives our effort a great advantage."

One conservative Texan who will not be endorsing Cruz is former President George W. Bush, who supports his brother, Jeb Bush, and on Sunday told donors about Cruz, "I just don't like the guy."