Big on my Facebook page is the new Mother Jones piece detailing why Washington insiders think Ted Cruz is a “jerk,” in the magazine’s words. Here’s an example from former Speaker John Boehner:
Fighting words: The former speaker of House has called Cruz “that jackass” and a “false prophet.”
The beef: Where to start? Cruz has served as a cheerleader for the House Freedom Caucus, the band of arch-conservatives who made Boehner’s job all but impossible. He trod so heavily on Boehner’s turf that he earned the nickname “Speaker Cruz.” Cruz pushed for a government shutdown over defunding Planned Parenthood, and then he accused Boehner of selling out conservatives to cut a deal with Nancy Pelosi. When Boehner resigned, Cruz took a victory lap.
Why don’t I think this is going to bother a lot of GOP primary voters in N.H.?
Maggie Gallagher is a senior fellow at the American Principles Project.
