Despite criticism from fellow Republicans for his role in forcing a government shutdown over passing a budget bill, Republican Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas says he doesn't believe he has hurt the GOP brand.
"Not remotely," Cruz
said Sunday on CNN's "State of the Union." "But I also think far too many people are worried about politics."
Mainstream Republicans have argued that allowing the Affordable Care Act to be fully implemented would allow it to collapse under its own weight, and would help Republicans in the 2016 midterm elections.
Urgent: Do You Support Sen. Ted Cruz's Efforts to Defund Obamacare? Vote Here.
Cruz said he agreed that Obamacare will collapse on its own, but he said it will do serious damage before it does.
"When it collapses I don't want it to destroy the health insurance we have now," he said.
Rep. Peter King, R-N.Y., who has tried unsuccessfully to rally House Republicans to vote for a "clean" continuing resolution not tied to Obamacare,
said last week he can "never forgive Ted Cruz."
Two Sundays ago, "Fox News Sunday" host
Chris Wallace said Republicans sent him negative talking points against Cruz – something Wallace said he'd never seen members of one party do to one of their own.
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