Ted Cruz in Speech at 2015 CPAC conference

On Drugs: 2014: federal enforcement; 2015: let states experiment

Those remarks contradict Cruz's previous position, when he criticized the Obama administration for failing to aggressively enforce the federal ban on marijuana in states that have legalized the drug. In January 2014, he described the Justice Department's prosecutorial restraint, which is designed to respect state policy choices, as an abuse of executive power.

Cruz's apparent turnaround reflects a political reality: Cruz's calibration is the easiest way to strike the balance between younger, more tolerant GOP voters and social conservatives.

On Drugs: I disagree with states legalizing pot, but it's their right

The conference is a chance for potential presidential candidates to stake out ground for 2016 and marijuana could be prime turf. Cruz has expressed openness to changing marijuana laws in the past. At a January 2014 event in Texas, he said there are "some reasonable arguments on that issue." But he also blasted the president for ignoring federal drug laws and allowing residents in Colorado and Washington to carry out their marijuana policies. "Mind you these are criminal laws," Cruz said. "These are laws that say if you do 'X, Y, and Z' you will go to prison. The president announced, 'No, you won't.'"

On Principles & Values: I'm despised by GOP establishment, but so was Reagan

His response: Essentially, Cruz argued that he is the reincarnation of Ronald Reagan, and that those foolish doubters would have impeded Reagan's rise. "It was 40 years ago at CPAC that President Reagan said the path to victory is not pale pastels but bold colors," he said, as some in the crowd shouted those last two words along with him. "I am convinced 2016 is going to be an election very much like 1980," he said.

Translation? Don't worry about electability, because the glorious GOP landslide is imminent. "It's worth remembering, when Reagan ran, Washington despised Reagan," he added. The subtext--that Cruz himself is similarly despised--was obvious.

On Drugs: Let states be laboratories of democracy on marijuana

On Health Care: Washington wants ObamaCare, the people want liberty

As for his GOP rivals also eyeing the White House, Cruz seemed to raise doubts about their credentials and called on the audience to demand that all presidential aspirants demonstrate their conservative bona fides: "Demand action, not talk," Cruz said. "If a candidate tells you that they oppose ObamaCare, fantastic! But when have you stood up and fought against it? If a candidate says they oppose Obama's illegal executive amnesty, terrific. When have you stood up and fought against it?

"Repeal every blasted word of ObamaCare," Cruz concluded.

On Tax Reform: Abolish the IRS

But it was the question about what Cruz would do as president that drew the most raucous response. "Repeal every blasted word of ObamaCare," Cruz said as he ticked off a list that included "abolish the IRS," "restore America's leadership in the world," get rid of "amnesty" in the immigration system, and reduce the "alphabet soup" of regulations.