Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), the man who led the charge on the 16-day government shutdown by tying government funding provisions to defunding the Affordable Care Act, told ABC News he "would do anything" to stop Obamacare -- including another government shutdown.
President Barack Obama signed a bipartisan bill early Thursday that reopened the federal government and raised the nation’s debt ceiling, thereby avoiding default. The bill, however, only authorizes current spending levels until Jan. 15. That means Cruz may have another opportunity to employ shutdown tactics if Congress cannot broker a budget deal by January.
Speaking about defunding the Affordable Care Act on the "Sean Hannity Show" on Wednesday, Cruz said, "This is going to be multi-staged, extended political battle."
Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), in contrast, seems to be more in tune with recent polls illuminating the GOP's popularity problems. He said in an interview on CNN's "New Day" on Thursday that he can "guarantee" there won't be another government shutdown.
On the Senate floor Wednesday, McCain called the shutdown "shameful" and an "agonizing odyssey."
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), who played a key role in working out Wednesday night’s deal to reopen the government, also told The Hill on Thursday that he doesn't plan to allow another shutdown. And speaking to the Courier-Journal in Kentucky, he said, “Certainly, it has not been good for the party to be associated with the government shutdown."
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