Lots of Grassroots Conservatives Want to See Someone Throw a Wrench in the Washington Spending Machine

From Byron York, at the Washington Examiner, "Angry at Ted Cruz, Republicans should remember what he represents":

Republicans have a good chance to win control of the Senate this November. Democrats are on the defensive over Obamacare, the president is unpopular, and history suggests second-term mid-terms are nearly always unlucky for the White House.

Given that, why is there so much division, backbiting, and bad blood among some Senate Republicans? Last seen during the government shutdown fiasco, the GOP malady returned this week with a debt ceiling mini-fiasco, and it threatens to revisit the Senate any number of times before Election Day.

There is at least one common thread in the shutdown and debt ceiling incidents, and that is Sen. Ted Cruz. For whatever reason, the Texas freshman has at times goaded his party to dysfunction, embarrassment, and defeat. (Not quite singlehandedly; others, like Sens. Mike Lee and Rand Paul, have also been done their bit.)

Many in the GOP believe Cruz is just out for himself. But even if that's true, they have to remember that he represents more than just Ted Cruz. There are a lot of Republicans -- it's not clear how many, but a significant portion of the party's base -- that cheers Cruz on when he battles with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. They want to see a Republican throw a wrench in the Washington spending machine, even if it creates chaos and damages the GOP's standing with independent voters. And it is that conviction that is really behind the party's problems; it is why Republicans would not enjoy smooth sailing even if Cruz were to retire tomorrow...

More here (via Memeorandum).

Yeah, well, I think most genuine conservatives are fed up with the same old (big-spending) story in Washington. Ted Cruz is a godsend for them.

And as much as I love the Wall Street Journal, the editorial page is frequently much too establishment for my tastes. See the editors' attack on Cruz on Wednesday, for example, "The Minority Maker: Ted Cruz hurts his party by forcing a meaningless debt-ceiling vote." (And don't get me going about the WSJ and open borders, sheesh.)