Texas Senator Ted Cruz told a group of social conservatives that gay marriage supporters have the momentum and that “we need to be on our knees” praying.

Cruz, a Tea Party Republican, made his remarks in addressing roughly 800 pastors at an Iowa event urging Christian leaders to speak out more forcefully on political issues.

“On marriage there is no issue in which we need to be more on our knees because the momentum is with the opponents of traditional marriage,” Cruz said. “We saw a decision from the US Supreme Court, a decision that some have herald, even some conservatives have herald [sic].  I think that decision was an abject demonstration of judicial activism. Five unelected judges saying we are going to set aside the policy preference of the state of California, the citizens, not of some crazy right-wing state, California. The citizens of California went to vote and they voted and said in the state of California we want marriage to be the traditional union of one man and one woman. And the US Supreme Court, as a result of its decision, said you have no right to define marriage in your state, we know better. We're facing an assault on marriage. As pastors, each of you has a special responsibility and a special ability to speak to your congregations and to mobilize the people, and mobilize them more than anything to pray.” (The video is embedded on this page. Visit our video library for more videos.)

(Related: Ted Cruz warns hate speech laws against Christians will follow gay marriage.)