After a respite, Cruz again questioning McConnell’s strategies

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), who has been more of a team player since losing the 2016 GOP presidential primary to Donald Trump, is reemerging as an agitator in the GOP conference.

Cruz is questioning Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s (R-Ky.) strategy on the GOP's 2018 agenda, which is to steer clear of partisan bills that don’t have Democratic support. Cruz, who is up for reelection this year and faces a spirited challenger in Rep. Beto O’Rourke (D), is leading a group of restive conservatives who want to vote on a budget resolution that would set up a special process — known as reconciliation — to allow the GOP to pass ambitious legislation, such as an ObamaCare repeal, with a simple majority.

“We have 254 days until Jan. 3, 2019. I believe we need to do everything humanly possible to deliver on the promises we made to voters and to score major substantive victories for the American people while we have majorities in both houses and a Republican president,” Cruz said last week.