for the tea party. its members had tried to use the deadline as leverage. now they say the battle is not bc's jeff bellamy. ttle is not >> reporter: listening to senator ted cruz, you would think he won the war. saw the house of representatives take a courageous stand listening to to see the h engage in a profile in courage. >> reporter: cruz, the pied piper of congress's party contention has no regrets about the government coming to a screeching halt in an attempt to kill th president's health care law. continue until collectively the american people can make d.c. listen. >> reporter: a risky move. 74% of americans disapprove of how republicans handle the shutdown. cruz's own hometown paper, the houston chronicle, which endorsed him last year as a thoughtful, energetic shooting