US Republican Senator Ted Cruz (R) and Republican Senator from South Carolina Lindsey Graham listen to President Barack Obama deliver the State of the Union address before a joint session of Congress on January 28, 2014 at the US Capitol in Washington. AFP PHOTO/Saul LOEB (Photo credit should read SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images)

Among reporters who cover the Capitol, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) has earned a reputation as one of the most disciplined, on-message politicians in recent memory, with a superhuman ability to work the same phrases and lines over and over again.

On Tuesday, Cruz displayed that ability in a rather extreme fashion, as The Daily Caller's Alexis Levinson noted on Twitter. Asked his take on New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie's recent troubles, he gave a long response that matched nearly word for word one that he'd given the weekend before.

Speaking to reporters after the State of the Union address, Cruz said, "I like Chris Christie. He is brash. He's outspoken. I like that he's been elected as a Republican twice in a blue state. I think it's unfortunate he's found himself in this mess, and I very much hope he's able to extricate and extricate himself quickly. I'm rooting for him to do so."

When asked if he thought Christie could recover from Bridgegate, Cruz added, "I'll leave the political prognostication to all of you who do that for a living. But I certainly hope he can extricate himself from this mess."

The Sunday before the State of the Union, Cruz offered the following about the governor on CBS's "Face the Nation": "I like Chris Christie. I think he is brash and outspoken, and I think it's terrific that he can get elected twice as a Republican in a very blue state. I think it's unfortunate he's found himself in this mess, and I hope he can extricate himself. I'm certainly rooting for him to do so because I think he's an effective leader and I'd like to see him move on to governing New Jersey and not being mired in this scandal."

Political observers expect Cruz to launch a tea party-backed presidential campaign in the 2016 race, while Christie is expected to seek the Republican nomination as the alternative to the tea party brand.