‘Republican Leadership Blinked’: Ted Cruz Says McConnell Caved On Debt Ceiling Out Of Fear Democrats Would Nuke Filibuster

Republican Texas Sen. Ted Cruz said Thursday that Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell had caved on the debt ceiling because he was afraid Democrats would make good on threats to “nuke the filibuster.”

Cruz joined Fox News host Sean Hannity on his radio show to discuss McConnell’s agreement to extend the debt limit, and he argued that Republicans should have held the line instead of handing Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer a win. (RELATED: ‘Partisan Power Grab’: Ted Cruz Rattles Deputy AG Over Treating Concerned Parents As Domestic Terrorists)

LISTEN:

“This is a lousy deal it’s a mistake for, for two months we had Republicans unified. We had everyone together, saying exactly the same thing, which is that we’re not going to participate in any way shape or form in raising the debt ceiling,” Cruz began, saying that Republicans had been in agreement that they should force Democrats to raise the debt limit and force their spending bills through without a single Republican vote.

“We were unified, we were strong, it was a principled position. We were headed towards a complete and total surrender from Chuck Schumer,” Cruz continued. “Then yesterday our leadership got cold feet, they got weak-kneed because they were afraid that Manchin and Sinema would agree to nuke the filibuster, which is what has been threatened over and over and over again.”

Cruz went on to say that Democrats had threatened to “nuke the filibuster” every time an issue came down to a party-line vote, and this time McConnell had given in.

“Schumer is out there crowing and doing a victory dance. Elizabeth Warren is out there crowing and doing a victory dance, they’re saying that Republicans have completely surrendered to us and the sad thing is they’re right,” Cruz continued. “Because yesterday Republican leadership blinked and gave in, we’ve now divided Republicans and created a mess and handed Schumer a victory, I think.”