WASHINGTON _ Many Senate Republicans don't have nice things to say about Texas Sen. Ted Cruz but he is about to help them raise money for their campaigns.
Cruz antagonized many of his Senate colleagues by helping to force the government shutdown. He angered others in July when he refused to endorse GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump after pledging to do that during the Republican primaries.
However, Cruz plans to team up with fellow Texas Republican Sen. John Cornyn for fundraisers in Dallas and Houston next month, the Associated Press reported. Set to attend are Sens. Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire, Roy Blunt of Missouri, Richard Burr of North Carolina and Charles Grassley of Iowa. Sens. Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania and Rob Portman of Ohio are also expected to benefit from the fundraisers, though they won't attend.
In the past, Ayotte criticized Cruz for risking a government shutdown to block federal funding for Planned Parenthood. Similarly, in 2013 Burr called Cruz's plan to shut down the government if the Affordable Care Act was not defunded "the dumbest idea I've ever heard."
According to the Federal Election Commission, Cruz has not donated to any of his Republican colleagues this cycle. Cruz's leadership PAC has donated $5,000 to Grassley's campaign.
