While Sen. Ted Cruz has been hammered in Washington by members of his own Republican Party over his fight against Obamacare that led to 16-day partial government shutdown, the outspoken freshman has received a hero’s welcome during a victory lap this week in his home state of Texas.

At a Tea Party event Monday night in his hometown of Houston, Cruz was greeted with chants of “Cruz, Cruz Cruz” and “Thank you, Ted” from a crowd estimated at more than 1,000, the Houston Chronicle reported.