Ted Cruz Happy to Work with AOC on 'Good Policy,' Jokes About His Beard

Ted Cruz says his unlikely alliance with Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is simply a matter of agreeing on good policy, and if that's what it takes to spark some bipartisan cooperation ... he's all for it.

We got the Texas Senator Thursday at Reagan National Airport, and he opened up about his new BFF. Okay, that's a stretch, but he and AOC are working together to ban former members of Congress from becoming lobbyists, and to make birth control available over the counter. Cruz says their teams have already hooked up to get the ball rolling.

Conservative Ted says he's got no issues working with the NY's liberal rookie Congresswoman and adds, he'll reach across the aisle for anyone -- it's all about the policy, baby.

Then Ted got a little weird ... about his beard.

We asked him if his facial hair is responsible for his apparent softer side lately, and he reveals his fellow senator, Dianne Feinstein, hates it. Doesn't seem like he's willing to work with a Democrat on a compromise in this case though ... and he has a plan to make it even worse for her.