Democrats may have been onto something last year when they said that Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) has more influence over House Republicans than John Boehner.

The San Antonio Express News reported this week that Cruz may have once again demonstrated his clout with conservative lawmakers in the lower chamber, this time using his sway to quash immigration reform.

House Republicans who supported the “principles” of immigration reform floated by Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, late last month grumbled Tuesday that the plan was dead on arrival because Cruz blasted it as “amnesty,” spurring a blizzard of negative phone calls to House Republicans.

“After that it was ‘We’ll get back to you on immigration reform,’ ” said one Republican congressman who declined to be identified.

Cruz issued the warning on the same day that House Republicans were convened at their retreat.

Boehner ultimately backed off his principles, but claimed that the doomed reform effort was really President Obama’s fault.