For United States federal elective positions, the constitution defines the criteria for three types of elective offices. Article I, section 2, subsection 2 specifies that to be a representative, a person must, among other criteria, be "a citizen of the United States." Article I, section 3, subsection 3 specifies that to be a senator, a person must, among other criteria, be "a citizen of the United States." Article II, section 1, subsection 5 specifies that to be eligible to the office of the president, a person must, among other criteria, be "a natural born citizen." This distinction in the "natural born" qualifier of the citizenship requirement originated from English common law and means "born on the soil". Ted Cruz was born in Canada. He may now be a citizen but he is not "natural born"



