Cruz: ‘The era of Obama lawlessness is over’

“The American people have risen up and frankly, at the national level, they have given Republicans another chance,” he said during a speech in Austin. “If and when we retake the majority nationally, it will be incumbent on Republicans to lead. To stand up with a bold positive, optimistic agenda to turn this country around, to bring back jobs and growth and opportunity.”

 

Cruz, who is seen as a likely presidential contender in 2016, offered up a laundry list of conservative goals for the next Congress.

 

He called for tax and regulatory reform, an end to “amnesty” for illegal immigrants and protection for religious liberty and gun rights.

 

The senator emphatically called for Republicans to “do everything humanly possible to repeal ObamaCare.”

“Now is the time for Republicans to come together in unity to stand as one, to stand for principle and to say, ‘We will honor the trust you have placed in us,’” he said.  

“And with new leadership in Washington, we will stand together and pledge to listen to the American people.”

After the speech, during an interview on CNN, Cruz called Republicans’ performance Tuesday night a “powerful repudiation of the Obama agenda.”

He said Republicans would have to “deliver on the promises we’ve been making on the campaign trail” including offering a “positive, bold, pro-jobs agenda.”

“Now the responsibility falls on Republicans for us to stand up and lead,” Cruz said.

Cruz declined twice to say whether he would support Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) for Senate majority leader, saying only, “That’ll be a decision for the conference to make next week.”

Over the weekend, in a Washington Post interview, Cruz would not say whether he would support a McConnell bid.

Jesse Byrnes contributed.