George Will: 'Peculiar' Ted Cruz Is 'Loathed by GOP Caucus'

Veteran political commentator George Will has described the Senate career of Ted Cruz as "peculiar" during a panel discussion Monday on Fox News Channel's "Special Report," The Daily Caller reported.

Will's critique of the junior senator from Texas and tea party conservative is that Cruz is not a Republican team player and makes no effort to face political realities.

"There have been 1,957 senators in the history of this country and I can't imagine there's been a more peculiar career than the one he's having right now," Will said of Cruz.

"He is completely indifferent to the fact that politics is a team sport."

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With Juan Williams looking on, Will continued: "Juan's absolutely right, Democrats are more bemused by him. He is frankly loathed within the Republican caucus."

Turning to Cruz's presidential ambitions Will said: "If he seeks the Republican nomination and doesn't get it, then what? He has to come back here? That's awkward."

Likewise, Washington Post columnist Chris Cillizza wrote Monday: "If the Senate were high school and there was a superlative for 'least popular member,' Ted Cruz would win in a walk."

Some Republican lawmakers also were harsh in their comments.

"You should have an end goal in sight if you're going to do these types of things and I don't see an end goal other than irritating a lot of people," said Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, in regards to Cruz's tactics on the just-passed budget bill, The San Francisco Chronicle reported.

Maine Republican Susan Collins told Politico that Cruz's strategy on presidential nominations is "counterproductive and will have the end result of causing nominees who I think are not well-qualified to be confirmed."

Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Arizona, added, "I fail to see what conservative ends were achieved."

But blogger Leon Wolf writing at Red State takes exception to Republican establishment criticism of Cruz.

"I will note that literally all the people who are now criticizing Cruz on the Internet ALSO proclaimed just as loudly and with just as much certainty back in 2013 that Cruz's actions in forcing the government shutdown would cost the Republicans the 2014 elections," he wrote.

"So right now the credibility scorecard reads 'Ted Cruz 1, Hyperventilating Ted Cruz Critics 0.'"

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