In N.H., Sen. Ted Cruz says there's 'no stronger advocate for legal immigration'

Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas speaks with area business leaders during a Politics and Eggs breakfast, Monday, March 16, 2015, in Manchester, N.H. (AP Photo/Jim Cole)

GOFFSTOWN, N.H. – Texas Sen. Ted Cruz courted potential voters in New Hampshire by sharing with them his trademark dour view of government.

"To value liberty and freedom above all else – live free or die," he said, channeling New Hampshire's state motto. "That sums up what it means to be an American."

The Senator has yet to announce his candidacy but is already challenging potential presidential candidates to “walk the walk” and talk tough headed into the race for 2016.

In an interview with Fox News Latino, Cruz pledged that his tell-it-like-it-is style won’t stop should he make it to the White House, saying, "You can count on me for two things: No. 1, I will tell you the truth. And No. 2, I will do what I said I would do."

Cruz added that the candidate Washington pundits say is the “most electable” often loses. People are tired of "politicians blowing smoke and not leveling with them," he said.

Cruz exemplified his unapologetic straight talk with Ethanol producers at the Agriculture Summit in Iowa earlier this month, where he defended his unpopular position of repealing the Ethanol mandate. “Washington shouldn’t be picking winners and losers,” he said.

He admitted that he wasn’t sure if he would “get booed” or if the Iowa farmers who had gathered to hear him speak last Saturday would “throw rotten tomatoes” at him. Cruz said instead he received roaring applause from the crowd.

The previous day, on Sunday, Cruz spoke to a riled up crowd of voters in support of streamlining the legal immigration process, claiming that "No one is a stronger advocate for legal immigration than I am."

He suggested that Democrats are more interested in gaining "partisan advantage" than in solving the problem of illegal immigration.

Cruz is promising to abolish the Internal Revenue Service and the Education Department. He likens federal regulators locusts that deserve to be killed.

He spoke highly of potential presidential front-runners former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush and Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, praising their service to their states.

But the senator said that to win in 2016, Republicans need to stay far away from the “mushy middle,” adding that career politicians have pushed people away from the GOP.  "Part of reason people are independents is they're fed up with career politicians,” he said.

When asked if he thinks that both Walker and Bush might be more prone to cut deals than stand on principle, Cruz answered that primary voters will need to ask each candidate that question.

For now, as Cruz appears to be moving toward making official his White House ambition, he is working to introduce himself to voters as someone who understands their frustrations. "If you see a candidate who Washington embraces, run and hide," Cruz told activists at a Grafton County GOP fundraiser.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.