- Title: In Texas Senate race, O'Rourke and Cruz stand squarely apart
- Date: 9th October 2018
- Summary: AUSTIN, TEXAS, UNITED STATES (OCTOBER 4, 2018) (REUTERS) TEXAS SENATE CANDIDATE BETO O'ROURKE WALKING ON TO STAGE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN O'ROURKE SPEAKING AUDIENCE APPLAUDING VARIOUS OF O'ROURKE SPEAKING CHILD HOLDING SIGN READING (English): '3RD GRADERS FOR BETO" PEOPLE WATCHING O'ROURKE WALKING OFF STAGE (SOUNDBITE) (English) TEXAS SENATE CANDIDATE BETO O'ROURKE SAYING: "It's extraordinary. We have not seen it before, maybe in part because we haven't seen a campaign like this before - no PAC money, no special interests, going to every single one of the 254 counties, no matter how reliably Republican, no matter how reliably Democrat. We're showing up and we're listening to people. And I think everyone sees an opportunity for their hopes, you know, the things that they want to see happen for this country reflected in this campaign. They see themselves as part of this massive grassroots movement across the state of Texas. And, again, I just really, if I'm honest, recognize that I'm part of this. It's not about the candidate, it's not about the party, it's about what we want to do for our country, and, yes, it happens to be a very divided moment in this country's history and I think the people of Texas want to stand up and help to lead together, not as Republicans or Democrats, as Texans, as Americans, as human beings, and that's what you're seeing." PEOPLE IN HALL AFTER EVENT (SOUNDBITE) (English) RICKY COOKS, 20, STUDENT AT UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS, AUSTIN, SAYING: "I think he's just such an inspiring person to be around. As a young person in Texas, it's really great seeing someone come out, care about the opinions of college students and really just, you know, not only say the things that he wants us to hear, but actually put action behind them and plans behind them. It means a lot to me." COOKS WEARING T-SHIRT READING (English): 'AMBASSADOR FOR BETO' (SOUNDBITE) (English) FATIMA MIRZAKHAIL, 17, HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT, ORIGINALLY FROM AGHANISTAN, HAS BEEN IN TEXAS FOR ALMOST THREE YEARS, SAYING: "I think he's got it because a lot of people, they love him. Oh my God, he's just awesome. He made me really happy. When he was talking about women, the education part and the healthcare, he just made my day. Oh my God, he just made it awesome." WOMAN WEARING RAINBOW T-SHIRT WITH 'BETO FOR SENATE' WRITTEN ON IT (SOUNDBITE) (English) CAROLINE SMITH-ROGERS, 55, RETIREE, SAYING: "I think we reached a peak in this country and I don't want to see us backslide, I want to see us keep going up and over and become the country that I thought we grew up in - a country that was accepting, a country that wanted people here and wanted the best for everybody, the country that didn't polarize and didn't segregate and didn't isolate. I want that. I want that for us. And I think Beto represents the best of that and I really hope he succeeds, I really do. I think this country can only be better for him and for people like him." PLANO, TEXAS, UNITED STATES (OCTOBER 4, 2018) (REUTERS) TED CRUZ SIGNS AT RALLY IN BEER GARDEN OF BBQ RESTAURANT SENATOR TED CRUZ ON STAGE CRUZ ON STAGE SAYING: "God bless Texas" (SOUNDBITE) (English) SENATOR TED CRUZ SAYING: "And there is no race in the country with a starker divide than this U.S. Senate race here in the state of Texas. On taxes, he's for them, I'm against them." TEXAS FLAG WITH PEOPLE APPLAUDING (SOUNDBITE) (English) SENATOR TED CRUZ SAYING: "Beto O'Rourke voted no to the tax cut. He voted no a week ago to making the individual tax cuts permanent." WOMAN WATCHING T-SHIRT READING (English): "I stand for the flag. I kneel for the cross." VARIOUS OF CRUZ POSING FOR PHOTOGRAPHS AND SIGNING AUTOGRAPHS WOMAN WEARING T-SHIRT READING (English): "Girls just gotta have guns and ammo" (SOUNDBITE) (English) HOLLY WALTA, 48, FROM MCKINNEY, TEXAS, SAYING: "Well, I'm pretty worried, judging by the number of yard signs and bumper stickers I'm seeing (for O'Rourke). Pretty worried, but, you know what, I have full faith that Ted Cruz and his supporters will win this out." MAN WEARING COWBOY HAT GUN IN HOLSTER ON MAN'S BELT (SOUNDBITE) (English) CYNTHIA STEWART FROM PLANO, TEXAS SAYING: "That does not make me happy. That does not make me happy at all, because he does not stand for the same principles that I stand for and that I look for." CRUZ POSING FOR PHOTOGRAPH WITH MADDIE LEVEL, 16, HIGH SCHOOL JUNIOR FROM BRISCO, TEXAS (SOUNDBITE) (English) MADDIE LEVEL, 16, HIGH SCHOOL JUNIOR FROM BRISCO, TEXAS, SAYING: "Ted Cruz, right now, I like his stance on immigration. I like pretty much everything he stands for. I like his stance on taxes, immigration, pretty much anything over Beto, honestly, at the moment. But Ted Cruz would be my first choice anyway." WOMEN EATING AT TABLE WAITRESS SERVING DRINKS MAN WEARING 'MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN' HAT
- Embargoed: 23rd October 2018 12:06
- Keywords: U.S. Senate Republican rally election Democrat campaigning Ted Cruz Beto O'Rourke Texas
- Location: AUSTIN AND PLANO, TEXAS, UNITED STATES
- City: AUSTIN AND PLANO, TEXAS, UNITED STATES
- Country: USA
- Topics: Government/Politics,Elections/Voting
- Reuters ID: LVA00191CFUIV
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Most of Beto O'Rourke's audience at his packed University of Texas, Austin rally hadn't yet been born the last time the state elected a Democrat to the U.S. Senate.
But with most polls indicating the race between the charismatic Democratic congressman and conservative incumbent Ted Cruz is too close to confidently predict, O'Rourke is in it to win, firing up the crowd with promises to tackle rising education and healthcare costs and protect women's access to abortion.
The Texas race is an election with huge implications for the future political landscape - Democrats need only two more Senate seats to gain control and upend President Donald Trump's agenda.
O'Rourke has benefited from an avalanche of media attention and a gusher of small donations, raising millions of dollars more than Cruz, while accepting no donations from Political Action Committees (PACs).
"It's extraordinary," O'Rourke told Reuters before the rally. "We have not seen it before, maybe in part because we haven't seen a campaign like this before - no PAC money, no special interests, going to every single one of the 254 counties, no matter how reliably Republican, no matter how reliably Democrat. We're showing up and we're listening to people."
He calls his support a "massive grassroots movement" and many at the rally, where attendees were asked several times on their way in to register to vote, were hopeful O'Rourke would win.
"I think he's got it," said 17 year-old Fatima Mirzakhail, who arrived in Texas less than three years ago from her native Afghanistan, and is not yet a U.S. citizen. "He's just awesome. He made me really happy. When he was talking about women, the education part and the healthcare, he just made my day."
Retiree Caroline Smith-Rogers, 55, grew tearful as she talked about her hopes for the future.
"I want to see us keep going up and over and become the country that I thought we grew up in," she said. "And I think Beto represents the best of that and I really hope he succeeds."
Supporters were no less enthusiastic at Cruz's appearance in the sunny beer garden of a Plano restaurant, where air was thick with barbecue smoke and waitresses served up oversized margaritas and pitchers of beer.
"There is no race in the country with a starker divide than this U.S. Senate race here in the state of Texas," Cruz told a cheering crowd, heavy with red 'Make America Great Again' baseball caps and a smattering of cowboy hats.
Cruz drew constant comparisons between himself and O'Rourke during his speech, painting O'Rourke as too radical for the traditionally Republican state.
But supporters were concerned about the closeness of the race.
"That does not make me happy at all, because he (O'Rourke) does not stand for the same principles that I stand for and that I look for," said Cynthia Stewart, sporting Cruz buttons and a red, white and blue cowboy hat.
"I'm pretty worried, judging by the number of yard signs and bumper stickers I'm seeing (for O'Rourke), said Holly Walta, 48.
"But, you know what, I have full faith that Ted Cruz and his supporters will win this out."
Ultimately, even if O'Rourke pulls off what might be considered a political miracle in Texas, it might not matter for Democrats unless they can hold on to Senate seats in places such as Florida, Missouri, and Montana as well.
As for Cruz, his campaign continues to worry about competing with O'Rourke financially and whether Republican voters will turn out in numbers to ensure his victory. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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