Rand Paul: Cruz Likely to Face Dem Court Challenge of His Eligibility

Rand Paul said Sunday that if his GOP presidential rival Ted Cruz wins the nomination, he's likely to see a court challenge from Democrats.

The question of Cruz's qualifications has been a hot topic in recent days after national front-runner Donald Trump brought it up, leading to all the other candidates being asked about it. Cruz is mounting a serious challenge to Trump in Iowa, where caucus participants will be first to vote on Feb. 1.

Cruz, a U.S. Senator from Texas, was born in Canada, but says he is a natural-born American as required by the Constitution, because his mother was an American citizen, though his father was a native of Cuba and a naturalized Canadian at the time.

"I think the Democrats will challenge it, at the very least, and I think it will have to decided by the Supreme Court," Paul, who represents Kentucky in the Senate, said Sunday on "Face the Nation."

"The thing is, I think all experts agree that he was naturally born in Canada, and so the legal question is: Can you be naturally born in Canada and also be considered a natural-born American citizen, and it hasn’t been decided," Cruz said.

Democratic Florida Rep. Alan Grayson has said he will file a lawsuit challenging Cruz's right to be president if he becomes the nominee.

Related Stories:

• Cruz: Won't Go 'Door-to-Door,' but Will Enforce Immigration Laws
• Ted Cruz Mom Appears on 1974 Canadian Voter List