Rafael Edward Cruz is an American politician, attorney, and political commentator serving as the junior United States senator from Texas since 2013. A member of the Republican Party, Cruz was the solicitor general of Texas from 2003 to 2008.

The Solicitor General of Texas is the top appellate solicitor or lawyer for the U.S. state of Texas. It is an appointed position in the Office of the Texas Attorney General that focuses on the office's major appellate cases. The majority of the cases handled by the solicitor are argued in the United States Supreme Court and the Supreme Court of Texas. However some cases within the solicitor's responsibilities are under the jurisdiction of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit and the state appellate courts. The solicitor represents the Attorney General of Texas before the Supreme Court of Texas and other appellate courts, as needed. The Office of the Solicitor General writes most of the amicus briefs filed by the Texas attorney general's office.