Ted Cruz Takes Stand Against Gun Control and Hagel in "No Compromise" Strategy

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Sen. Ted Cruz Talks Gun Control, Stance on Issues

New Republican Senator Ted Cruz talks about his stance on the issues including gun control.

Watch full video interview above.

Freshman Republican Senator Ted Cruz is the newest Texan in the Senate and so far he has not been shy to criticize Washington.

In a 12-minute interview on Fox News Sunday, Cruz said he does not believe in compromise in D.C. He also said he will not support the confirmation of former Nebraska Senator Chuck Hagel as Defense Secretary, and is adamantly against current gun control proposals and the fiscal cliff deal, which he called a "lousy deal."

During a time in which the Republican Party seems to be in search of a new identity, especially after losing the Latino vote by a 3 to 1 margin, Cruz, a Cuban American, is defiantly sticking to his conservative principles.

"I don't think what Washington needs is more compromise," Cruz said to Fox News' John Roberts. "I think what Washington needs is more common sense and more principle."

Cruz said he believes politicians have jumped to exploit the tragedy in Newtown, Conn. to push their own agendas and said he believes the current gun control proposals –including Democratic Senator Dianne Feinstein's bill to create a national gun registry– are unconstitutional.

"I don't think the federal government has any business of having a list of law-abiding citizens who choose to their right to keep and bear arms," he said.

The 42-year-old senator suggested improving the federal database to help background checks to better indicate possible mental health of a potential buyer.

President Barack Obama nominated Hagel as Defense Secretary to replace outgoing Secretary Leon Panetta on Monday afternoon.

Cruz said Sunday he does not support Hagel primarily because of his stances on Israel and the Middle East.

"Hagel's record is very, very troubling on the nation of Israel. He has not been a friend to Israel. And in my view, the United States should stand unshakably with the nation of Israel," he said.

"And he has consistently advocated weakness with respect to our enemies, with respect to the nation of Iran. He has opposed sanctions over and over again," he went on, adding, "if you are an Iranian mullah right now and you're looking at a Chuck Hagel who thinks that sanctions are too harsh, you've got to be laughing off any harsher than sanctions."

The Texas senator is readying himself for the debt ceiling negotiations after what he called a lousy fiscal deal.

If we can stand strong and insist on, number one, structural reforms to fix the problems, and, number two, pro-growth policies so we can grow the economy, we can get jobs back; we can get people back to work," Cruz said.

"I think we can win that debate and win that argument."

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