Democratic strategist James Carville lavished praise on freshman Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), who has quickly become one of the Senate's most polarizing new members.

Echoing former Sen. Jim DeMint on ABC's "This Week," Carville cheered Cruz for not being afraid to take on his own party so soon into his Senate career.

"I think he is the most talented and fearless Republican politician I've seen in the last 30 years," Carville said.

"I further think that he's going to run for president and he is going to create something. I'm not sitting here saying he's going to win, and I think Sen. DeMint is right. I've listened to excerpts of his speech in South Carolina. He touches every button. And this guy has no fear. He just keeps plowing ahead. And he is going to be something to watch."

Carville drew a distinct difference between Cruz and Sen. John McCain, who has been one of Cruz's leading critics among the GOP establishment.

"A lot of Republicans feel this way. And you hear this a lot. If we only got someone who is articulate and was for what we were for, we'd win elections," Carville said.

"We get these John McCains and these Mitt Romneys and these squishy guys that can't do anything. Well there's one thing this guy's not — he ain't squishy. Not in the least."

Watch the video below, courtesy of ABC: