AUSTIN, Texas — Ted Cruz is talking again about chaos in Washington, only this time he’s not the one causing it.

“If the next two years are nothing but a political circus of impeachment that paralyzes the federal government, that effectively locks every federal agency in gridlock, then I think we will see little to no meaningful legislation for two years,” Cruz said after a recent campaign event, adding that things may devolve into “simply naked political warfare. Mad Max at Thunderdome.”

Only five years ago, the same Ted Cruz rode a wave of tea party outrage to the Senate with the declared intention of wreaking havoc on the status quo. And he did, for establishment Republicans as much as President Barack Obama — helping to spark a government shutdown, calling the chamber’s majority leader a liar and inciting a pack of conservatives that later toppled House Speaker John Boehner, who later branded Cruz “Lucifer in the flesh.”

But with GOP analysts now worried that turmoil around the Donald Trump White House is hurting the party’s midterm election chances , Cruz is suddenly casting himself as a bulwark against the forces of political anarchy.

He’ll help keep Congress’ wheels turning, he insists. To that end, the onetime bomb-thrower is trying to soften his image, saying he’s misunderstood and actually quite funny. Cruz’s often incendiary father, who made a splash in the 2012 campaign with controversial statements, also has stayed out of the spotlight.

The change reflects more than a political pro’s talent for adapting to circumstances. Now, there’s the pressing matter of keeping his job.

After an anonymous New York Times op-ed piece and journalist Bob Woodward’s book portraying a reckless president, polls have shown the GOP’s ability to hold the House increasingly in doubt amid concerns by troubled moderate voters.  And Cruz finds himself in a surprisingly close race against Democratic challenger Beto O’Rourke.

White House budget director Mick Mulvaney implied that Cruz’s lack of likeability could make him vulnerable.

“There is a very real possibility we will win a race for Senate in Florida and lose a race in Texas for Senate,” Mulvaney said recently.