8.) Cruz graduated magna cum laude from Harvard University with a J.D. in 1995. At Harvard he was “universally respected for his intellect, described by friend and foe alike as brilliant but with a hard edge.”
“At Harvard Law, Cruz was a member of a small band of conservatives whose politics were out of step with most of their peers. But beyond campus, conservatism was a gathering force.
“As the 1994 elections approached, with Newt Gingrich leading the charge, Cruz and his friends threw a ‘Republicans Take Back the House Party,’ in Hastings Hall. When Republicans triumphed, the campus conservatives erupted in cheers – antagonizing Harvard’s liberals with their raucous celebration.” (Source: Boston Globe)