The race for the Texas Senate seat Ted Cruz currently holds has been closer than anticipated and tonight for the first time we saw Cruz debate the man who could unseat him. NBC reports:
In the fiery first debate between GOP incumbent Sen. Ted Cruz and Democratic Rep. Beto O’Rourke, the differences couldn’t have been more clear.
They split sharply during the hour-long face off on immigration, the National Football League kneeling controversy, gun rights, marijuana legalization, police-involved shootings, the confirmation of Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh and more.
There was virtually no common ground, on anything.
Mr. Cruz, the more experienced debater of the two, was the aggressor through the night, drawing sharp contrasts with Mr. O’Rourke and trying to paint him as out of step with politically red Texas. Mr. O’Rourke has been running as an outspoken liberal, convinced that political authenticity and a message aimed across demographics and age groups can help him pull off the biggest upset in modern Texas political history.
Mr. O’Rourke came across as genial and knowledgeable, and seemed increasingly comfortable as the debate unfolded
The most memorable moment of the night came as the candidates were asked, “What do you admire about your opponent?”
The Ft. Worth Star-Telegram says:
It was almost a nice moment during a heated one-hour political debate.
Republican U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz and Democrat U.S. Rep. Beto O’Rourke, embroiled in a fierce battle for a U.S. Senate seat, were asked to say something they admire about their opponent.
O’Rourke went first and noted that both he and Cruz have small children — and it’s tough to leave them to do their jobs.
Then it was Cruz’s turn. He seemed to miss the point of the question altogether.
https://twitter.com/tribelaw/status/1043305121675923457
Ted Cruz was asked to say something nice about his opponent. Instead, the sniveling weasel uses the time to talk about himself and attack Beto as a clueless "socialist."
Beto just looks at Cruz and responds with the quote of the night:
"True to form."pic.twitter.com/1VtEBA99H3
— Mikel Jollett (@Mikel_Jollett) September 22, 2018
https://twitter.com/debostic/status/1043293531186638848
Watch the full debate above.