Ted Cruz Quickly Makes a Name for himself in Washington, D.C.

Chuck Hagel was confirmed as United States Secretary of Defense on February 26, 2013.  Republican senators strongly criticized Hegel and even filibustered him at one point.  Among Hagel’s fiercest critics was Ted Cruz, who was elected to the Senate last year after a surprise victory over Texas Lieutenant Governor David Dewhurst in the Texas Republican primary election.  Cruz argued, among other things, that Hagel was not forthcoming in making financial disclosures, and had not been properly supportive of the U.S.-Israel alliance.  Regarding Hagel’s alleged failure to provide adequate financial disclosures, Cruz arguably implied that Hagel may have received funds from countries such as Saudi Arabia and North Korea, although Cruz’s supporters point out that the remarks were made in a hypothetical manner.

While some senators, even some Republicans such as John McCain, thought that Cruz’s tough questioning of Hagel overstepped the bounds of civility, Cruz made no apologies.  He enjoys strong grassroots support, and his résumé- Princeton debate champion, Harvard Law graduate, United States Supreme Court clerk, Solicitor General of Texas, and the first Hispanic Senator from Texas- suggests that he will be a prominent political figure for a long time.