Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz talked about his views on religious liberty and LGBT rights after actress Ellen Page asked him about the "persecution of gays in the work place," while the Texas senator was grilling pork chops at the Iowa State Fair.

"What about the question about LGBT people being fired for being gay-trans?" Page asked while ABC News documented the encounter.

"Well, what we're seeing right now, we're seeing Bible-believing Christians being persecuted for living according to their faith," Cruz responded.

"You're discriminating against LGBT people," the actress shot back. "Well, would you use that argument in segregation?"

Cruz then told the 28-year-old actress that he does not want to have a "back-and-forth debate" with her but would be happy to answer her question. The GOP hopeful has said that marriage is only supposed to be between a man and woman citing his devout Christian beliefs.

"Imagine, hypothetically, you had a gay florist and imagine two evangelicals wanted to get married and they decide, 'You know what, I disagree with your faith and I don't want to provide flowers,'" Cruz said to Page stating that "no one has the right to force someone else to abandon their faith and their conscience."

The Texas senator is supposed to hold a rally in Des Moines calling "attention to the religious persecution of Christian business owners and employees who have been sanctioned by their government because of their religious beliefs," according to his campaign.

Other religious freedom advocates will rally alongside Cruz including an Iowa couple who refused to host a same-sex wedding at a venue they owned.

Cruz has argued several cases in front of the Supreme Court and is a longtime opponent of same-sex marriage, according to Business Insider. He went on to criticize the U.S.-led nuclear deal with Iran and asked Page why the Obama administration did not address persecution of gay Iranians.

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