Texas Sen. Ted Cruz predicted on Sunday that Americans will quickly turn against Republicans if repealing Obamacare causes insurance premiums to rise even further.
“I’ve got to tell you, if Republicans hold a big press conference and pat ourselves on the back that we’ve repealed Obamacare and everyone’s premiums keep going up, people will be ready to tar and feather us in the streets, and quite rightly,” Cruz told CBS’ John Dickerson.
The Texas senator said he met with President Trump, House Freedom Caucus Chairman Rep. Mark Meadows, R-N.C., and Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, on Saturday to discuss the possibility of repealing more key elements of Obamacare.
“We need to repeal all 12 insurance mandates,” Cruz said, noting that the current replacement legislation “only touches two of them.”
“I think that the president right now is listening to the arguments on all sides. He wants to get to a ‘yes’ and I want to get to a ‘yes,'” the senator added.
Cruz said the Trump-backed healthcare bill cannot pass the Senate, adding that he will not vote for the legislation in its current form.
