Cruz has made numerous statements in recent weeks calling to defund Obamacare. Cruz: Shutdown not disaster for GOP

Texas Sen. Ted Cruz on Tuesday downplayed the long-term consequences of a government shutdown on the Republican Party, calling for a grassroots mobilization to pressure lawmakers to defund the Affordable Care Act.

“I think the received wisdom that ‘95 was a disaster is completely wrong. I think it was important that Republicans stood for principle and it actually led to some serious solutions to the fiscal and economic challenges facing this country,” Cruz said at an event hosted by the Heritage Foundation.


“The sort of cocktail chatter wisdom in Washington that, ‘Oh, the shutdown was a political disaster for Republicans,’ is not borne out by the data,” he added.

Cruz has made numerous statements in recent weeks calling for Obamacare funding to be tied to the budget debate. He, along with allies like Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) and Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), thinks the continuing resolution, which must be voted on by Sept. 30 to avoid a government shutdown, is a powerful bargaining chip against Obamacare.

“If there is ever a time to defeat Obamacare, it is now. Moreover, we have, I believe, the best opportunity we will have—and possibly the last good opportunity we will have—to defund Obamacare with the continuing resolution,” Cruz told the audience.