John Shinkle/POLITICO Paul on Cruz: He's pretty much done for in the Senate

Rand Paul on Tuesday had a blunt message for his presidential rival and fellow Republican senator Ted Cruz: You're a hack.

In no uncertain terms, Paul called out Cruz for trying — and failing — to disrupt GOP leadership's efforts to fund the government without attacking Planned Parenthood, as well as past name-calling from the Texas senator.


“Ted has chosen to make this really personal and chosen to call people dishonest in leadership and call them names which really goes against the decorum and also against the rules of the Senate, and as a consequence he can’t get anything done legislatively,” Paul said, referring to a spat in July when Cruz called Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell a liar.

“I approach things a little different, I am still just as hardcore in saying what we are doing is wrong, I just chose not to call people liars on the Senate floor and it’s just a matter of different perspectives on how best to get to the end result."

Paul, who was speaking on Fox News Radio’s “Kilmeade & Friends,” has taken aim at the Texas senator in the past, but was especially sharp on Tuesday.

“He is pretty much done for and stifled, and it’s really because of personal relationships, or lack of personal relationships, and it is a problem,” Paul said.

The Kentucky senator also addressed McConnell, when asked if the majority leader had let him down.

“I think I would say we have disagreements on tactics on how to do it and I stand up forcefully for what I think is right, but I try not to make it personal,” he said. “I think in not making it personal and understanding that other people have different perspectives and really this is a democratic republic, you have to woo people, you can’t hit them over the head.”

On Tuesday Paul dodged when asked by POLITICO if McConnell should step down. House Speaker John Boehner made news last week by suddenly stepping down after facing a conservative rebellion.

