USA TODAY International Edition
On Obamacare repeal, Cruz tries new tactic: compromise
‘ Team player’ new role for senator who has angered his share
WASHINGTON Ted Cruz has not been known for his conciliatory gestures.
Former House speaker John Boehner, R- Ohio, once dubbed him “Lucifer in the flesh” and said he had “never worked with a more miserable son of a b----” in his life. But these days, Cruz is trying to be a master of compromise, bringing together his Republican colleagues to come up with a bill to repeal and replace Obamacare.
Cruz and Sen. Lamar Alexander, R- Tenn., met quietly for a steak dinner in February and discussed the need for the party to come together on a repeal bill. Then, as House Republicans scrambled to pass their version of the bill, they convened a small group of senators from all different ideological wings of the Republican Party in Cruz’s office conference room.
The Texas conservative’s pitch: Let’s talk through our differences on Obamacare, so when the House passes the health care hot potato to us, we can draft a bill that works for everyone. Republicans in the Senate have a slim 5248 majority. Because no Democrats are expected to vote for the legislation, the GOP can only lose two members before the legislation fails.
Gathered in his conference room was “a group that I think really represents the ideological spectrum of the different wings of the party,” Cruz told USA TODAY. “If these six could come together and find common ground then that likely would represent a bill that would have a good chance of passing the ( Republican) conference.”
The group included: Cruz and Alexander and Sens. Rob Portman of Ohio, Cory Gardner of Colorado, Mike Lee of Utah, and Tom Cotton of Arkansas.
“He’s trying to get a result,” Alexander told USA TODAY. “And as smart as he is, he can be a real force in making that happen. If we’re able to come to a result in the Republican caucus, I’ll be glad to give him a lot of the credit.”
“Like the entire Republican Conference, Sen. Cruz has been working with his colleagues on crafting legislation that can pass the Senate, drive down costs, and increase the quality of coverage plans available,” Gardner said. “He’s been a team player and should be applauded for that.”
“Team player” is a new role for the junior senator, who has angered his share of Republican lawmakers in the past. In 2013, Cruz led the government shutdown for 16 days in a failed attempt to strip funding from the Affordable Care Act. He also stood on the Senate floor and accused the majority leader of his own party of lying in 2015.
When USA TODAY asked Cruz what was behind his new approach to dealing with colleagues, he responded: “Different circumstances call for different strategies.”
“Our role under President Obama was to serve as the loyal opposition ... I think we were pretty effective in doing that,” Cruz said. However, “the entire universe changed on Election Day” when Republicans swept both chambers of Congress and the executive branch, and now Republicans have to actually deliver on their promises.
When Cruz ran for the GOP nomination for president in 2016, he didn’t receive his first endorsement from a Senate colleague until early March, and it was from Lee, his close friend and a fellow conservative.
USA TODAY asked Cruz whether his role in health care negotiations could be a first step toward another presidential run in the future. The senator was non- committal.
“My focus is on 2017, we have the potential for this to be the most productive Congress in decades we have the potential for 2017 to be a historic blockbuster year,” Cruz said. “I’m energized and invigorated by the task at hand and there will be plenty of time to consider future races, in future years.”
Cruz is up for re- election in 2018 and has already drawn at least one challenger, Democratic Rep. Beto O’Rourke. While the state is solidly red, demographics are shifting.