Cruz: 'Era of Obama Lawlessness' Is Over

But McConnell doesn't plan 'perpetual conflict'
By Rob Quinn,  Newser Staff
Posted Nov 5, 2014 3:34 AM CST
Cruz: 'Era of Obama Lawlessness' Is Over
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, joined by his wife, former Labor Secretary Elaine Chao, addresses a group of supporters at his victory rally in Louisville, Ky., last night.   (AP Photo/Timothy D. Easley)

Ted Cruz wasn't on the ballot, but he still seemed pretty giddy with victory last night after his party won control of the Senate. The senator declared that the "era of Obama lawlessness is over" and urged his fellow Republicans to "do everything humanly possible to repeal ObamaCare," the Hill reports. He called the result a "powerful repudiation of the Obama agenda" and urged Republicans "to come together in unity to stand as one"—but declined to say whether he would support Mitch McConnell's bid to become Senate majority leader. "That will be a decision for the conference to make" during leadership elections next week, he told CNN. More:

  • In a victory speech, McConnell called for cooperation, reports MSNBC. "Just because we have a two-party system doesn't mean we have to be in perpetual conflict," he said.

  • The other senator from Kentucky, however, seems to have conflict in mind, the Economist reports. Rand Paul promised that the GOP-controlled Senate would send Obama bills he would hate, including a repeal of ObamaCare. He also taunted Hillary Clinton, posting a Facebook album of her with candidates he dubbed "#HillarysLosers," reports the Huffington Post.
  • Sen. Harry Reid, who now plans to run for Senate minority leader, congratulated McConnell on taking his job, Roll Call reports. "The message from voters is clear: They want us to work together," he said in a statement. "I look forward to working with Sen. McConnell to get things done for the middle class."
  • It's not clear just how gridlocked government will be with the GOP in control of both chambers of Congress, but before the election, Cruz told the Washington Post he wants the Senate to be as aggressive as the House in pursuing "every avenue possible to repeal ObamaCare" and defeating other items on the president's agenda.
  • For now, a lame-duck session of Congress lies ahead, and while a long-term spending bill may emerge in December, Cruz and Utah's Mike Lee have vowed to thwart any non-essential legislation, Politico reports.
(More Ted Cruz stories.)

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