Rep. Beto O'Rourke
Robert (Beto) Francis O'RourkeCruz, O'Rourke agree to hold three debates in Senate race Texas city passes resolution declaring Beto O'Rourke's defense of NFL player protests 'false' Fans boycotting Willie Nelson after he agrees to headline Beto O’Rourke rally MORE (D-Texas) — who is challenging Sen. Ted Cruz
Rafael (Ted) Edward CruzCruz, O'Rourke agree to hold three debates in Senate race Texas city passes resolution declaring Beto O'Rourke's defense of NFL player protests 'false' Cruz-O’Rourke increasingly looks like Allen-Webb MORE (R-Texas) for his Senate seat this year — agreed with late-night host Bill Maher, who called Cruz an "asshole."
“Well, don’t forget he’s a giant asshole,” the “Real Time with Bill Maher” host said Friday night.
“That’s true,” O’Rourke replied.
During his interview with Maher, O’Rourke made his case for why he can land a Senate seat in a state that hasn’t elected a Democrat to statewide office since the 1990s.
O’Rourke, who outraised Cruz in the first months of 2018, said his campaign isn’t accepting money from PACs and touted his strategy to visit all of the state’s counties.
“Folks, though, will never have to wonder who it is I represent or who I’m voting for,” O’Rourke said. “It’s going to be the people of Texas, every single time.”
After the Texas primary elections earlier this month, Cruz put out a radio ad hitting O’Rourke for his liberal policy stances and for going by “Beto,” a nickname given to people named "Robert" or "Roberto" by Spanish speakers.
O’Rourke said he doesn’t want to focus on mudslinging and would rather focus on policy issues. He also released a picture of himself as a child wearing a shirt with “Beto” printed on it.
He said that the people of Texas right now are “fired up” and added that he has faith in the grass-roots style of his campaign. O’Rourke also criticized Cruz for spending much of his first term as senator running for president.
O’Rourke raised $2.3 million in the first six weeks of 2018 while Cruz raised $800,000 in the same period. Cruz still has an overall cash advantage on his challenger.
