Sen. Cornyn: Trump, GOP not caving to Democrat demands to end shutdown

Sen. John Cornyn speaks on government shutdown, new Senate candidate

In a one-on-one interview with FOX 26's Greg Groogan, U.S. Sen. John Cornyn claims Democrats caused the federal shutdown and it's up to them for it to end. He also gives his thoughts on Congress Wesley Hunt joining the race for his Senate seat.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) tells FOX 26 that Democrats triggered the government shutdown, and only Democrats can get the government re-opened by supporting a no-strings-attached short-term funding measure.

Sen. John Cornyn on federal government shutdown

What they're saying:

"They have simply overreached. We are happy to talk about any and all issues, including health care and insurance premiums, once the government reopens, but shutting down the government in order to throw a temper tantrum in order to get your way makes no sense, and we ought to do better than that," said Cornyn.

 As for the elimination of pandemic-era Obamacare subsidies, Cornyn says a nation with $37 trillion in debt can't afford to deliver steep health insurance discounts for Americans who have the income to pay the retail price for coverage.

 "We are certainly not going to have that negotiation while the government is shut down," said Cornyn.

 Cornyn says Republicans, including the President, are prepared to wait out Democrats. 

 "President Trump has a strong hand here because he has already canceled some of these grant programs that go to some of these blue states. The head of the Office of Management and Budget says he's going to order some reductions in force or lay-offs for people who are deemed non-essential and a lot of this is going to affect the political calculation of folks in blue states of our Democratic friends in the Senate. I expect this to get worse for Democrats and I expect them to try and find some kind of face saving way out," said Cornyn.

Reaction to race for Senate seat

 FOX 26 also asked Cornyn about his hotly contested Republican primary race against Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and more recently Houston-area Congressman Wesley Hunt.

"Frankly the Attorney General, who has been leading in the polls until recently, has got a lot of baggage that I don't think Texas voters quite understand yet, but they will once this campaign is over, and I think Congressman Hunt is going to find out what a big state that Texas really is. It's much bigger than just his Congressional district where he is known perhaps, but it's a big state, and it costs a lot to get that name ID, and so I like my chances, but I welcome him in the race," said Cornyn.