2 friendly suggestions:
First, Commentary magazine. They have an online blog. They are definitely neo-conservative, but are much more thoughtful than most right-leaning areas. They also have a pretty high degree of accuracy.
Second, LegalInsurrection.com. It is a blog by a libertarian attorney. There can be hardline slants by friend of his who post in the comments area.
I read NYT (though I think it's nearly a rag these days) and I think most of the writing at HuffPo is air-head based. But I do read them. I also find WaPo to be tolerable.
OK, now for Ted Cruz. That is precisely what Cruz said. And I agree with him 100%.
And it's funny you mentioned the NYT, because this is another example of the NYT going brain-dead. In this case, Andrew Rosenthal, who took issue with Cruz. Rosenthal apparently doesn't understand that our founders (who just won a fight against their own government and felt justified in their cause, might realize that future generations could also find themselves in the same position). I guess Rosenthal and the NYT can't connect the dots - that the framers of the 2nd Amendment felt it so strong that they'd consider it a right.
As for Lindsay Graham....I try to minimize using the term "RINO", but he and Rubio are RINOs. And dishonest ones at that. If Lindsay Graham/Rubio ran against Hillary....I'd flip a coin.