Ted Cruz: “I rise today with both sorrow and gratitude in my heart to honor and celebrate the life of an extraordinary woman, the…”

“I rise today with both sorrow and gratitude in my heart to honor and celebrate the life of an extraordinary woman, the Honorable Diana Denman. Diana has rightly been described as the ``Godmother of the Texas Republican Party.'' She was a fierce warrior for freedom, but she was also a radiant spirit, a source of wisdom and kindness, and the embodiment of grace, conviction, and truth. Diana was a patriotic American. She loved this country. She was a true daughter of Texas and a very dear and cherished friend. Diana was born in Abilene, TX. Her grandfather, Jefferson Davis Sandefer, Sr., led Hardin-Simmons University for decades, and Diana often said she inherited her lifelong passion for service and scholarship from his example. But Diana's journey took her far beyond Texas. She left Abilene for Washington to study at George Washington University, from which she graduated with a degree in journalism. From there, she traveled to Hollywood to be an actress. She worked with legends like Cecil B. DeMille as well as a young actor named Ronald Reagan. Ever quick with a smile and a story, Diana used to say that the very first vote she ever cast for Reagan was for president--of the Screen Actors Guild. That vote was the start of a lifelong commitment to conservatism. From Reagan's 1976 campaign to his election and through the Presidency, Diana stood shoulder to shoulder with the movement for freedom and optimism that defined the era and which we so badly need today.…”