Colleagues Dislike & Disrespect Ted Cruz

Ted Cruz regularly presents himself as an ardent defender of religious liberty, and he eagerly seeks out the spotlight to make sure the news media hears and reports about it. Not too long ago, Cruz jumped in front of the news cameras during the media frenzy over Kentucky county clerk Kim Davis to say: 

“We are a country founded on Judeo-Christian values, founded by those fleeing religious oppression and seeking a land where we could worship God and live according to our faith, without being imprisoned for doing so.”

At that time, spouting rhetoric on religious liberty was red meat to the Tea Party Republican base, and Ted Cruz eagerly served it up.

Fast forward to yesterday, however, and you see Cruz taking the opposite position to appeal to the same Tea Party Republican base who are now perfectly willing to throw religious liberty over the side as it conflicts with their religious and racial prejudices.

As a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Cruz voted “no” on an amendment that simply reaffirmed our nation’s principle of religious liberty. The language found unsuitable and unsupportable by Cruz read:

“It is the sense of the Senate that the United States must not bar individuals from entering into the United States based on their religion, as such action would be contrary to the fundamental principles on which this Nation was founded.”

The majority of both Republicans and Democrats – including Texas Senator John Cornyn – supported the religious liberty language. Cruz not only voted “no” he did not even bother to appear in committee to defend his position but instead cast his vote by proxy.

Arrogance and Hypocrisy that Destroys Trust

Cruz’s vote against religious liberty after spending weeks portraying himself as the champion of religious liberty is exactly the type of self-serving, hypocritical move that has destroyed respect from his colleagues.

Disagreements on issues and ideology are common and expected among U.S. Senators. It is very unusual, however, for a Senator to publicly state their disrespect for a colleague, regardless of their partisan, regional or policy differences. That is why comments made yesterday by U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill about Ted Cruz are so damning. Senator McCaskill said bluntly:

“. . . you don’t have to be popular with other senators, but you need to be respected by other senators if you have what it takes to be President of the United States . . . I mean, Barack Obama wasn’t popular with all the other senators, but he was respected . . . I don’t think Ted has the respect of his fellow senators.”

Unlike the public who see Cruz through a media filter, his colleagues in the Senate see him up close and deal with him on a personal basis. Texas voters may not care whether his colleagues like him or not. They should be concerned, though, that colleagues so openly disrespect him.