Ted Cruz announces 2016 presidential bid on Twitter

LYNCHBURG, Va., March 23 (UPI) -- Sen. Ted Cruz became the first person to step into the 2016 presidential race on Monday, when he took to Twitter to announce his candidacy.

"I'm running for president and I hope to earn your support!" the Texas Republican tweeted just after midnight, alongside his first official campaign video.

"It's going to take a new generation of courageous conservatives to help make American great again," Cruz says in the video.

Cruz will kickstart his campaign later on Monday at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Va., where he is expected to galvanize conservative support ahead of the Republican primaries. Liberty University, founded by evangelical preacher Jerry Falwell, is the world's largest Christian college.

Cruz, 44, became a U.S. senator in 2013. He has since made a name for himself as a fiery advocate for Tea Party conservatives, leading the Republican party's opposition to Obamacare.

California Gov. Jerry Brown told NBC's Meet the Press that Cruz is "absolutely unfit to be running for office" due to his position on climate change.

California is facing an ongoing severe drought that could be linked to a carbon buildup, according to Brown.

"This is a serious matter we're experiencing in California, as kind of a foretaste," Brown said. "There is no doubt that into the future, we're going to have more problems."

I'm running for President and I hope to earn your support! pic.twitter.com/0UTqaIoytP

— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) March 23, 2015