AUSTIN — Ted Cruz on Tuesday night revived some of his golden oldies, hammering Obamacare as a national disaster and skewering liberal Democrats who he said want to harbor illegal immigrants in American cities.

Wrapping up the second day of his "Tough as Texas" re-election campaign kickoff tour, Cruz also warned of new threats to gun rights.

He said former Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens, who has called for repeal of the 2nd Amendment, doesn't understand it's needed for self defense.

"That's Texas. That's who we are," he said of the right to bear arms to fend off criminal assaults on oneself and one's family.

Cruz spoke to about 100 supporters at Texas Mailhouse, a Northeast Austin business. Its owner, Bob Thomas, experienced great difficulties because of the Affordable Care Act, the senator said.

He praised Thomas for overcoming "the challenges that a law like Obamacare has faced, with premiums skyrocketing, with deductibles skyrocketing, with his employees getting less and less health care at higher and higher rates."

U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz speaks to about 100 supporters at Texas Mailhouse, a business in Northeast Austin late Tuesday. (Robert T. Garrett/Staff)

Cruz, who helped force a government shutdown in a failed attempt to repeal Obamacare in 2013, also read letters from state Sen. Dawn Buckingham, an eye doctor, and Austin supporter Drew White.

Buckingham said the law had damaged her patients, while White recounted how his parents lost a Blue Cross Blue Shield plan just months before his father was diagnosed with colorectal cancer. White said he had to raise $42,000 for his dad's treatment through a GoFundMe campaign. It wouldn't have been necessary had the federal health care law not been passed in 2010, he wrote.

"But, alas, a bunch of politicians in Washington decided that my parents' insurance wasn't good enough," Cruz said, finishing his reading of White's account. "This law has brought nothing but hardship, heartache and pain."

On immigration, Cruz assailed cities that have prohibited local law enforcement officers from enforcing federal laws.

"There are some in Washington who believe that ... our cities should be sanctuaries for those who are here illegally," he said

"That's not who Texas is as a state. In Texas, ... we want Washington, D.C., the heck off our backs," he said. "We want our cities to be sanctuaries but sanctuaries for Americans and those like my Dad who came to this country as immigrants legally seeking the American dream."

As he had in seven other cities he visited on Monday and earlier Tuesday, Cruz praised the grit of ordinary Texans. Without naming his opponent, Cruz cast Rep. Beto O'Rourke, D-El Paso, as too liberal.

On both days, Cruz and O'Rourke have used social media to pound on one another.

Cruz picked up on O'Rourke's criticism of President Donald Trump's proposal to put federal troops at the border.

"Liberal Dems — like Hillary and @BetoORourke — say anyone who wants to secure the border and end sanctuary cities must be a bigot and 'hate Mexicans,'" Cruz tweeted. He called the accusation a slap at immigrants who followed procedures for legal entry.

Liberal Dems — like Hillary and @BetoORourke — say anyone who wants to secure the border and end sanctuary cities must be a bigot and “hate Mexicans.” That’s a nasty insult directed at millions of Texans who welcome legal immigrants (like my Dad), but also respect rule of law. https://t.co/FO4Xv89EZF — Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) April 3, 2018

Cruz was responding to an O'Rourke comment at a Texas Tribune event in Waco. Using a barnyard epithet, the congressman said Cruz and Trump "are trying to push you based on fear and paranoia."

Beto O'Rourke says Ted Cruz and Donald Trump "want you to be afraid of Mexicans." #ttevents #tx2018 https://t.co/WFiklGOHyP pic.twitter.com/mo0g6oOOBo — Texas Tribune (@TexasTribune) April 3, 2018

On Wednesday, Cruz is scheduled to wrap up his 12-city tour with stops in Midland, Canyon, Wichita Falls and Fort Worth.