Cruz aims to take on Obama if GOP wins Senate; won’t vow support for McConnell

Washington Post ^ | November 2 at 6:29 PM | Sebastian Payne and Robert Costa

[SoConPubbie]

ANCHORAGE — Sen. Ted Cruz spent the final weekend of the midterms on the far edge of the country trying to help fellow Republican Dan Sullivan win a race the GOP is counting on in its effort to retake the Senate.

It’s a team-player role the tea party firebrand from Texas has filled a handful of times this fall — but one he plans to abandon if Republicans win control of both congressional chambers.

In an interview at the Hotel Captain Cook here between campaign stops for Sullivan, Cruz made it clear he would push hard for a Republican-led Senate to be as conservative and confron­tational as the Republican-led House.

Piggybacking on what House leaders have done, Cruz said the first order of business should be a series of hearings on President Obama, “looking at the abuse of power, the executive abuse, the regulatory abuse, the lawlessness that sadly has pervaded this administration.”

Cruz also would like the Senate to be as aggressive in trying to repeal the Affordable Care Act as the House, which has voted more than 50 times to get rid of the law.

Republicans should “pursue every means possible to repeal Obamacare,” Cruz said, including forcing a vote through parliamentary procedures that would get around a possible filibuster by Democrats. If that leads to a veto by Obama, Cruz said, Republicans should then vote on provisions of the health law “one at a time.”

And when asked whether he would back Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky for Republican leader, Cruz would not pledge his support — an indication that there are limits to how much of a partner he’s willing to be.

[SoConPubbie]

"If we must have an enemy at the head of Government, let it be one whom we can oppose, and for whom we are not responsible, who will not involve our party in the disgrace of his foolish and bad measures." - Alexander Hamilton "We don't intend to turn the Republican Party over to the traitors in the battle just ended. We will have no more of those candidates who are pledged to the same goals as our opposition and who seek our support. Turning the Party over to the so-called moderates wouldn’t make any sense at all." -- President Ronald Reagan "A thing moderately good is not so good as it ought to be. Moderation in temper is always a virtue; but moderation in principle is always a vice." - Thomas Paine 1792 "It does not take a majority to prevail, but rather an irate, tireless minority, keen on setting brushfires of freedom in the minds of men." - Samuel Adams "If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude better than the animating contest of freedom, go home from us in peace. We ask not your counsels or your arms. Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you. May your chains set lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that you were our countrymen." - Samuel Adams

[SoConPubbie]

Ted Cruz Ping!

If you want on/off this ping list, please let me know.

Please beware, this is a high-volume ping list!

[stanne]

No surprise.

Jeb and his gang are out there touting illegal immigration before the election in order to create a mandate of sorts.

McConnell Is with them.

I do not expect McConnell to walk into the leadership post. It’ll take a siege on his part.

He’s probably up to the task, but it will cost him.

Gotta love Sen. Cruz.

He’s working for the constituency who voted him into power, and his oath of office, unlike these other people.

[Guenevere]

I so want to believe this will happen!!!!!

[Jet Jaguar]

Thank you Ted.

[Jim Robinson]

Go, Cruz, go!

[entropy12]

Ok...so WAPO refers to Ted Cruz as “firebrand Tea Party”,
but never refer to Hillary as “Benghazi fame Liberal”.

Bias anyone?

[juggernaut]

Give ‘em hell, Senator.

[GeronL]

I am glad to hear this. I like Cruz more and more

[matthew fuller]

God bless the Junior Senator from Texas!

[GeronL]

I am a big Cruz supporter, if he can help take out McConnell I am with him

[VerySadAmerican]

I wish every time some democrat jumps on Cruz he would respond by calling the guy a racist who doesn’t like Latinos. We know the gopE won’t defend him.

[txhurl]

Oh, yeah, by posting hundreds of times to deny Cruz the Senate by ditching RINOs. Idiot.

[GeronL]

Just because I do not advocate voting for liberals?

[Mozilla]

I used to be such a sweet, sweet thing
‘Til they got a hold of me
I opened doors for little old ladies
I helped the blind to see

I got no friends ‘cause they read the papers
They can’t be seen with me
And I’m gettin’ real shot down
And I’m feelin’ mean

No more Mister Nice Guy
No more Mister Clean
No more Mister Nice Guy
They say, he’s sick, he’s obscene

I got no friends ‘cause they read the papers
They can’t be seen with me
And I’m gettin’ real shot down
And I’m, I’m gettin’ mean

No more Mister Nice Guy
No more Mister Clean
No more Mister Nice Guy
They say, he’s sick, he’s obscene

My dog bit me in the leg today
My cat clawed my eyes
Mom’s been thrown out the social circle
And dad has to hide

I went to church, incognito
When everybody rose
The Reverend Smith, he recognized me
And punched me in the nose

He said, no more Mister Nice Guy
No more Mister Clean
No more Mister Nice Guy
He said, you’re sick, you’re obscene

No more Mister Nice Guy
No more Mister Clean
No more Mister Nice Guy
He said, you’re sick, you’re obscene

Read more: Alice Cooper - No More Mr. Nice Guy Lyrics | MetroLyrics

[INVAR]

Dontcha just love those self-proclaimed arbiters of what can be said, who can say it and where you are allowed to post?

Not too much different from Leftist jackboot tactics is there?

[Sequoyah101]

Hearings? You mean like Issa’s? Forget it. Just bull spit.

[TChad]

Excellent news. Win your battles, Ted.

[Dave W]

I am a big Cruz supporter, too. But there have been several articles as to how McConnell has the majority leader position wrapped up. Cruz will be one vote out of 50+. McConnell will win easily. There are no filibusters for this position - they take a vote at the beginning of the session and that is that.

Cruz knows he can't vote for McConnell and then ask for conservative votes in the primaries if he runs for president. But having stated that, I wish him the best. He will have a hard time going against the establishment, but he is one of the few that is effective in doing so.