The move to Ted Cruz by prominent social conservatives continues, as Iowa’s most politically influential evangelical Bob Vander Plaats just announced he has personally endorsed Cruz.

“At the end of the day, we truly believe that Ted Cruz is the most consistent and principled conservative who has the ability to not only win Iowa but I believe to win the (Republican) nomination,” Bob Vander Plaats, the president of The FAMiLY Leader, told The Des Moines Register.

A Washington Post columnist agrees, dubbing Cruz the real front-runner in the race:

And Ted Cruz is the guy who looks best positioned to win.Yes, you heard that right.

Ted Cruz, as of today, has the most direct route to the Republican presidential nomination — assuming the past history of Republican nomination fights works as a broad predictor of where this race is headed.

It’s still almost two months to the Iowa caucuses, but as of today, Cruz is picking up the Big Mo.

Maggie Gallagher is a senior fellow at the American Principles Project.