Cruz: I'm With Sowell on Picking Battles; Issue Is Which Ones?

Sen. Ted Cruz says he agrees with his critic Thomas Sowell, who says he should pick his battles. He doesn't, however, agree on which battles.

The Texas freshman Republican, appearing on Fox News Channel's "Hannity" on Wednesday, said he admires Sowell, a conservative columnist who wrote a recent piece  critical of Cruz for fighting what Sowell says are losing battles that are hurting the party.

Cruz was blamed by many for the government shutdown in October after he tried to tie defunding Obamacare to the budget. He also was blamed earlier this year for threatening a filibuster that forced vulnerable GOP senators to cast votes on the debt ceiling.

Cruz also took issue with Sowell, saying Republican leadership in the Senate is afraid to pick any fights at all. He said two issues are vital on which to fight: Obamcare and the debt ceiling.

"If Republicans had stood together on the debt ceiling, we had the votes to insist upon meaningful spending reforms," he told host Sean Hannity.

Cruz said his critics justify their unwillingness to battle by saying they have to win elections or they'll have no power at all. But Cruz doesn't agree.

"You don't win elections by rolling over," he said. "It demoralizes people."

Republicans should draw a line in the sand and give people a reason to show up and vote for them, he said.

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