Cruz to deliver 'important speech' at Liberty University -- but aides mum on possible presidential bid announcement

Texas Republican Sen. Ted Cruz is set to deliver an "important speech" at a Virginia university next week -- but aides were mum Friday on whether the potential 2016 presidential candidate will announce a bid.

Cruz will speak at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Va. on Monday afternoon, and Cruz PAC staff members are aggressively promoting the event. But they would not release further details to Fox News.

"Go to Lynchburg," Cruz spokeswoman Catherine Frazier said.

With a little more than a year and half to go before the 2016 election, speculation is heating up that several presidential contenders will soon officially throw their hats into the ring. Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who enjoys a wide lead among potential Democratic candidates despite the recent uproar over her use of a personal email account while leading the State Department, is expected to announce her candidacy next month.

For Republicans, Sens. Cruz, Marco Rubio of Florida and Rand Paul of Kentucky have all been eyed as potential candidates, along with Wis. Gov. Scott Walker, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush and even real estate mogul Donald Trump, who formed an exploratory committee earlier this week.

Fox News' Carl Cameron, Serafin Gomez and Dan Gallo contributed to this report.