Washington, DC – In response to Senator Ted Cruz’s announcement that he will run for president in 2016, DNC Chair Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz released the following statement:

“As the de-facto leader of the Republican Party in recent years, it is only fitting that Ted Cruz would position himself in front of the GOP’s 2016 presidential field. But Cruz’s determination to oppose and obstruct any and all attempts to help the middle class is the embodiment of what’s wrong with the Republican Party.

“Ted Cruz clearly could not understand that shutting down the government, so he could deny millions of Americans health care – and costing the economy $24 billion in the process – was not a fight worth having. He was then willing to do it over again and threaten our national security in the process.  His reckless approach to governing would make life worse, not better for Americans and he isn’t the type of fighter that America’s middle class families need.”