# Why Do GOP Politicians (but not voters) Hate Ted Cruz? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [March 14, 2016, 12:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-gop-politicians-but-not-voters-hate-ted-cruz/748965 "2016-03-14T12:08:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![DerekMichaels00](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f14d63/32.png) [@DerekMichaels00](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DerekMichaels00)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2016, 12:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-gop-politicians-but-not-voters-hate-ted-cruz/748965/1 "2016-03-14T12:08:05Z")
It seems like GOP politicians personally dislike Ted Cruz, even tho he’s consistently on their side on most issues. The most notable example being George W. Bush, who said “I don’t like that guy.” Yet Cruz is with establishment Republicans on abortion (and PP), gay marriage, most economic issues, and Obamacare. He’s not like Donald Trump, but pretty doctrinaire. Yet Cruz is in second place for the nomination, and is the only non-Trump consistently winning states. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2016, 12:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-gop-politicians-but-not-voters-hate-ted-cruz/748965/2 "2016-03-14T12:28:03Z")
He’s been running for president before even taking his senate seat. He caused a no vote on the UN treaty on disabilities, against the wishes of Bob Dole. He called Mitch McConnell a liar on the senate floor. He was behind the ill advised government shut down which temporarily hurt the Republicans. ---
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2016, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-gop-politicians-but-not-voters-hate-ted-cruz/748965/3 "2016-03-14T12:38:33Z")
Cruz is not a team player. As a new Senator, he immediately began running for President, not learning how to work with his colleagues. _The Atlantic_ [explains](http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2016/01/why-dc-hates-ted-cruz/426915/): > [@](#): > > Cruz hasn’t hesitated to take polarizing stances, even when doing so means taking on his Republican colleagues. Last October, for example, a criminal-justice reform bill came before the Senate Judiciary Committee. The bill, which would give judges more flexibility in sentencing and add rehabilitative services to prisons, is a product of the increasing bipartisan movement to reform the criminal-justice system, which is supported by such disparate actors as the Koch brothers and the ACLU. And it’s the baby of Senator Mike Lee, the Tea Party-supported Utahn, who’s emerged as one of the most passionate conservative advocates for reform. > > Lee is also Cruz’s best friend—maybe his only friend—in the Senate… > > Cruz attacked the bill as dangerous and politically poisonous. He said it would lead to more than 7,000 federal prisoners let out on the street… > > Lee, who was sitting right next to Cruz, could not believe what he was hearing. The bill, he responded, wouldn’t actually release any violent criminals from prison, and its sentence reduction for gun crimes was to reduce the minimum for felons caught with guns or ammunition from 15 years to 10 years—a provision that had once sent a man to prison for 15 years when he picked up a stray bullet in order to clean a carpet. “It is simply incorrect to say that this suddenly releases a bunch of violent criminals. It is tougher on violent offenders,” Lee sputtered. “That statement is inaccurate…. We’re not letting out violent offenders. That is false.” There’s much more in the article. ---
**Author:** ![A\_Dodgy\_Dude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a87d85/32.png) [@A\_Dodgy\_Dude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/A_Dodgy_Dude)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2016, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-gop-politicians-but-not-voters-hate-ted-cruz/748965/4 "2016-03-14T16:10:33Z")
Cruz thinks the GOP doesn’t fight hard enough against Obama and the Democrats. He thinks all they do is offer token resistance for a few weeks or months and then cave in to the Democrats. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2016, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-gop-politicians-but-not-voters-hate-ted-cruz/748965/5 "2016-03-14T19:39:42Z")
I recall reading that Cruz’ college roommate says, **"Everybody** hates him. That’s his superpower." ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Lowry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@Sam\_Lowry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Lowry)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2016, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-gop-politicians-but-not-voters-hate-ted-cruz/748965/6 "2016-03-14T20:43:49Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > I recall reading that Cruz’ college roommate says, **"Everybody** hates him. That’s his superpower." [His name is Craig Mazin](http://theslot.jezebel.com/fuckin-craig-mazin-an-appreciation-of-ted-cruzs-colleg-1746278435), and he’s given interviews and has tweeted extensively about how much he and everyone hated Cruz. It’s pretty hilarious. I’ve heard that a lot of big politicians are super charming, and that’s part of the reason they got so far. I’ve heard it said about Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, that no matter what you think of their policies, when you are in the room with them you can’t help but like them. They are just likable. Cruz is basically the exact opposite. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2016, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-gop-politicians-but-not-voters-hate-ted-cruz/748965/7 "2016-03-14T20:46:14Z")
The hard core base likes his absolute unwillingness to compromise. They are that certain that they are 100% right and everyone else is wrong. ---
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2016, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-gop-politicians-but-not-voters-hate-ted-cruz/748965/8 "2016-03-14T20:55:41Z")
> [@Sam\_Lowry](#): > > [His name is Craig Mazin](http://theslot.jezebel.com/fuckin-craig-mazin-an-appreciation-of-ted-cruzs-colleg-1746278435), and he’s given interviews and has tweeted extensively about how much he and everyone hated Cruz. It’s pretty hilarious. > > I’ve heard that a lot of big politicians are super charming, and that’s part of the reason they got so far. I’ve heard it said about Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, that no matter what you think of their policies, when you are in the room with them you can’t help but like them. They are just likable. Cruz is basically the exact opposite. Lower level politicians tend to be gregarious as well. They are coalition leaders and do a lot of glad-handling. Interestingly, introverts can also do well, but they need to work hard at it: Nixon is a classic example. Mazin’s twitter feed is worth visiting: he is a funny writer. [https://twitter.com/clmazin](https://twitter.com/clmazin) To answer the OP: GOP politicians hate Cruz because they know Cruz. The guy lacks social intelligence. Josh Marshall notes that all throughout his life, folks around him thought he was an asshole (to be fair, a very smart asshole). Even in Harvard Law School, a place renowned for assholes. These aren’t just empty assessments: they are backed up by odd stories: [Me & Ted - TPM – Talking Points Memo](http://talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/me-ted) ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2016, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-gop-politicians-but-not-voters-hate-ted-cruz/748965/9 "2016-03-14T21:07:57Z")
> **[Why D.C. Hates Ted Cruz](https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2016/01/why-dc-hates-ted-cruz/426915/)** > > Cruz’s fans say it’s because he stands on principle. But his critics say he’s never achieved anything—except burnishing his own brand. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2016, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-gop-politicians-but-not-voters-hate-ted-cruz/748965/10 "2016-03-14T21:21:44Z")
Because they know him personally. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Lowry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@Sam\_Lowry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Lowry)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2016, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-gop-politicians-but-not-voters-hate-ted-cruz/748965/11 "2016-03-14T21:30:24Z")
> [@Wesley\_Clark](#): > > [Ted Cruz and his Washington Critics - The Atlantic](http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2016/01/why-dc-hates-ted-cruz/426915/) Interesting article, and points out that politicians don’t just dislike him because of his anti-charisma: > [@](#): > > But a Republican policy expert close to a number of top GOP operatives and donors insisted it’s not about Cruz’s style or his positions. It’s his disingenuousness—and inability to produce results. “He knows his tactics are bound to fail, but pursues them to debase his Republican colleagues under false pretenses and endear himself to the base as the only authentic conservative,” said the expert, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he runs an organization that does not endorse candidates. But the effort doesn’t result in smaller government or the end of Obamacare—all it achieves is drawing attention to Cruz. “He is incapable of delivering anything but theater,” the expert added.