If Republicans gain the majority in the Senate, Ted Cruz plans to take direct aim at the Obama administration, beginning with "a series of hearings" focused on what he sees as President Barack Obama's "abuse of power,"
reports The Washington Post.
The first order of business in a GOP-controlled Senate should be on "looking at the abuse of power, the executive abuse, the regulatory abuse, the lawlessness that sadly has pervaded this administration," said Cruz in an interview with the Post.
The Texas senator, who gained national attention when he spoke for more than 20 hours against Obamacare in September 2013, also said he intends to "pursue every means possible to repeal Obamacare," even if that includes voting against provisions "one at a time," according to the Post.
His direct approach could place him on a direct path against the current Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, whom Cruz has refused to endorse as leader if the GOP gains control of the Senate.
McConnell recently said that a full repeal seemed unlikely.
"It would take 60 votes in the Senate. No one thinks we're going to have 60 Republicans. And it would take a presidential signature. No one thinks we're going to get that," McConnell told Fox Business recently.
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Obamacare, however, is not the only issue on which Cruz has aggressively attacked Obama.
A recent ad from the Cruz for Senate campaign touts the freshman senator as the individual "leading the fight to secure the border, stop Obama's amnesty and celebrate legal immigration."
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While Cruz's bomb-throwing style has won him fans with some conservatives, it also has earned him criticism from others, including those who maintain he has been sidelined during the recent midterm campaigns.
"In races that are on the bubble — in Colorado, Iowa, and other places — these candidates need to center themselves somewhat because these are purple states. Ted Cruz can taint you with voters that can make the difference in the race. That's not true in Kansas, and probably not true in Georgia, either," Tom Davis, a former chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee,
tells Bloomberg News.
Cruz denies he has been pushed to the sidelines, attributing the accusations to rock-throwing from people inside the Beltway.
"It's not surprising to see folks in Washington throwing rocks. My focus is on winning Senate elections, retaking the Senate, and retiring Harry Reid. Others have chosen to launch harsh and personal criticism. I have not reciprocated, and I don't intend to,"
he told The Daily Beast.
Cruz has attended about 20 fundraisers, rallies, and speeches outside of Texas, including in Iowa, New Hampshire, Florida, and South Carolina, reports The Daily Beast.
Cruz's focus on taking on Obama is a contrast to his Senate colleague — and potential GOP presidential rival — Rand Paul of Kentucky.
In an appearance on CBS News' "Face the Nation," Paul said the priority of a Republican majority should be on "passing bills."
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Asked if it were enough to simply block the Obama agenda, Paul said, "No, I think we immediately should start passing bills."
He added: "The No. 1 thing I want to pass in January is there is $2 trillion worth of American profit overseas. I want to invite that and encourage that money to come home to create American jobs," Paul said. "Google, Apple, Caterpillar. All these great companies have money overseas. They could bring it home and stimulate our economy. And we could have a boom like we haven't seen in years."
Paul also cited criminal justice reform as one area where there could be bipartisan consensus.
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