Author Topic: Sen. Ted Cruz closes campaign with a flurry of attacks on Beto O’Rourke  (Read 17445 times)

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Online Elderberry

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Houston Chronicle by  Jeremy Wallace Nov. 2, 2018

U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz’s closing message to voters is as much about Beto O’Rourke as it is about his own campaign.

While most Republicans running for statewide office in Texas this year largely avoid talking about their Democratic opponents, Cruz has been unyielding in his final stump speeches in attacking O’Rourke’s positions on everything from climate change and immigration to health care and the economy.

“At this stage of the campaign, in the closing days, we’re showing a simple and straightforward contrast,” Cruz said in an interview in Laredo.

O’Rourke, on the other hand, rarely mentions Cruz by name during his rallies. In Waco on Wednesday, O’Rourke delivered a more than 20-minute speech and never said Cruz’s name. But in Midland a day earlier, Cruz mentioned O’Rourke by name 20 times in a 29-minute speech.

“There is no race in the country that presents a starker divide than this U.S. Senate race here in the state of Texas,” Cruz told the crowd in Midland, a line he repeated in other stops.

The focus on O’Rourke comes as public polling shows the race, one of the most-watched in the nation, is getting closer. Some polls have it as close as 3 percentage points, while others have the margin as wide as 10 percentage points. Combined, the two candidates have raised over $110 million — a new national record for a general election battle for a U.S. Senate seat. O’Rourke has raised more than $70 million.

Cruz said he is not responding to any polling, just trying to make his case clearly to voters as he seeks another 6-year term in office. Cruz said he is convinced that on almost every policy position, O’Rourke is “out of step with most Texans” and he’s making sure voters know the differences as they head to the polls.

Cruz is emphasizing their positions on four key issues:

- On the Trump Tax cuts, Cruz said he helped get the bill passed, whereas O’Rourke voted against it.

- On the Paris Climate Change Agreement aimed at reducing pollution, Cruz said he encouraged the President to back out of the deal because it would harm American manufacturing and energy companies. O’Rourke supported keeping the U.S. in the agreement.

More: https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/politics/texas/article/Ted-Cruz-closes-campaign-with-a-flurry-of-attacks-13359187.php

Offline austingirl

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  • Cruz 2016- a Constitutional Conservative at last!
Robert Francis Twitchy O'Rourke- out of step with Texas.
Principles matter. Words matter.

Offline XenaLee

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Robert Francis Twitchy O'Rourke- out of step with Texas.

LMAO!   Perfect!
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Offline catfish1957

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Wish some last minute campaign ads would surface showing Beto (via undercover)  recently being caught funding the Honduran Caravan (Invasion) with campaign finance money.

In fact he has admitted to it, and calls it charity (sham).
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Offline IsailedawayfromFR

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that was too close last night.
No punishment, in my opinion, is too great, for the man who can build his greatness upon his country's ruin~  George Washington

Offline Sanguine

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that was too close last night.

Way too close. 

Here's a map showing county by county.  And Lupe Valdez beat out Abbott in once-deep-red Hays County!


https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/results?ocid=spartanntp
« Last Edit: November 07, 2018, 04:04:38 pm by Sanguine »

Offline austingirl

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Williamson County voted for Twitchy? Good God. My county, Bandera, was 80-20 for Cruz. I am astonished that there are 20% here that want socialism.
Principles matter. Words matter.

Offline IsailedawayfromFR

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Way too close. 

Here's a map showing county by county.  And Lupe Valdez beat out Abbott in once-deep-red Hays County!


https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/results?ocid=spartanntp
That corridor from Austin to San Antonio is looking more like the San Francisco area than Texas.
No punishment, in my opinion, is too great, for the man who can build his greatness upon his country's ruin~  George Washington

Silver Pines

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Dana Loesch just talked extensively about Cruz's win, and I'm going to drop some points here and see what you all think. 

She said that Cruz's victory was far too close, and that people aren't taking Texas seriously---iow, believing it could never go Dem.  She said they used to say the same about California and, I think, Colorado.

Dana has talked with a bunch of political strategists who were involved with the race, and she said they're extremely alarmed.  The Dem party didn't spend all of those millions to elect Beto---it was to test the waters.  Now they know they can get close and maybe even win.  They've been moving people into Texas, to take up residence there.  Cruz had 18 people on staff---Beto had over 800.  Now those 800 will remain there and keep up their activism.

She believes everyone, no matter what state they're from, should be concerned about Texas and about keeping it red.  According to her, Cruz won the most conservative county in the state by only 3000 votes.

If anyone is interested, I can find the audio tomorrow and post it.

Offline skeeter

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Dana Loesch just talked extensively about Cruz's win, and I'm going to drop some points here and see what you all think. 

She said that Cruz's victory was far too close, and that people aren't taking Texas seriously---iow, believing it could never go Dem.  She said they used to say the same about California and, I think, Colorado.

Dana has talked with a bunch of political strategists who were involved with the race, and she said they're extremely alarmed.  The Dem party didn't spend all of those millions to elect Beto---it was to test the waters.  Now they know they can get close and maybe even win.  They've been moving people into Texas, to take up residence there.  Cruz had 18 people on staff---Beto had over 800.  Now those 800 will remain there and keep up their activism.

She believes everyone, no matter what state they're from, should be concerned about Texas and about keeping it red.  According to her, Cruz won the most conservative county in the state by only 3000 votes.

If anyone is interested, I can find the audio tomorrow and post it.

I don't care how anyone wants to characterize me for holding this point of view, I'm just stating the obvious. States that are the most welcoming to immigrants are the ones that are going dark blue.

Whatever else that can be said about it, the rats' blood-is-thicker-than-water tribal politics is lethally effective. Every other political obstacle can be overcome except this one. Its an appeal to one of humankind's most fundamental emotions.

Silver Pines

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I don't care how anyone wants to characterize me for holding this point of view, I'm just stating the obvious. States that are the most welcoming to immigrants are the ones that are going dark blue.

Whatever else that can be said about it, the rats' blood-is-thicker-than-water tribal politics is lethally effective. Every other political obstacle can be overcome except this one. Its an appeal to one of humankind's most fundamental emotions.

@skeeter

I don't have a single problem with anything you posted.

Texas worries me, though.  If it flips, we can say goodbye to Republican presidents for good.


Offline Jazzhead

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Why did Abbott win by 13 points yet Cruz just squeaked by?   Is the problem a changing Texas electorate, or just the anomaly that is Ted Cruz?   
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Offline skeeter

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@skeeter

I don't have a single problem with anything you posted.

Texas worries me, though.  If it flips, we can say goodbye to Republican presidents for good.

Thats right. Whether they know it or not the come-one-come-all Jack Kemp types out there who claim to be conservative are cutting our throats politically with their open arms advocacy, meaning they're cutting our throats.


Offline Right_in_Virginia

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@skeeter

I don't have a single problem with anything you posted.

Texas worries me, though.  If it flips, we can say goodbye to Republican presidents for good.

@CatherineofAragon

There were two Republican candidates whose political future was decided by all Texans, not just those living in a particular district.

I think we need to figure out why one of those candidates won his election by 13 points and the other won by 3.

Offline skeeter

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@CatherineofAragon

There were two Republican candidates whose political future was decided by all Texans, not just those living in a particular district.

I think we need to figure out why one of those candidates won his election by 13 points and the other won by 3.

Its tough even for an incumbent to overcome a 10 to 6 spending advantage as well as phenomenally good press coverage & celebrity focus.

Jim Carrey even put his sublime artistic talents to work for Beto fer cryin out loud.

Offline Sanguine

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Why did Abbott win by 13 points yet Cruz just squeaked by?   Is the problem a changing Texas electorate, or just the anomaly that is Ted Cruz?

Because the left was all in for Beto?  Because Trump helped Cruz and didn't help Abbott? 

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@CatherineofAragon

There were two Republican candidates whose political future was decided by all Texans, not just those living in a particular district.

I think we need to figure out why one of those candidates won his election by 13 points and the other won by 3.

@Right_in_Virginia

Maybe because the left is getting closer to figuring out how to flip Texas. 

Offline Right_in_Virginia

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@Right_in_Virginia

Maybe because the left is getting closer to figuring out how to flip Texas.

Maybe.  But as the Texas GOP revisits its strategy, I hope they see Cruz as an anomaly.  This is the second campaign he's run basically for and by himself --- no tea party, no Sarah Palin, no new kid on the block excitement.  Just him.  And there's no running from it--Cruz is a God-awful candidate.

I hope Texas doesn't screw up the revised strategy because Ted's squeaker of a win has everyone upset.   I hope they don't forget to focus on what Abbott did right to lock in a 13 point win.

@CatherineofAragon

Offline Sanguine

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Maybe.  But as the Texas GOP revisits its strategy, I hope they see Cruz as an anomaly.  This is the second campaign he's run basically for and by himself --- no tea party, no Sarah Palin, no new kid on the block excitement.  Just him.  And there's no running from it--Cruz is a God-awful candidate.

I hope Texas doesn't screw up the revised strategy because Ted's squeaker of a win has everyone upset.   I hope they don't forget to focus on what Abbott did right to lock in a 13 point win.

@CatherineofAragon

Nope, wrong on all counts.  You can dismiss him as a bad candidate but that's not correct and completely obscures the statewide problems.

Offline thackney

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Why did Abbott win by 13 points yet Cruz just squeaked by?   Is the problem a changing Texas electorate, or just the anomaly that is Ted Cruz?

@Jazzhead

Abbott's opponent, Lupe Valdez raised $1.2 million.  Cruz's opponent, Beto O'rourke raised $70~75 million.

Every election, the Democrats select one Texas statewide race to concentrate their funds and efforts.  They haven't won a single statewide election since 1994; not for any elected office.

They go all in, for the one race, raising funds from all over the country trying to break that hold.

I suspect Cruz was selected because of the 2016 conflicts with Trump.  Some of the typical Republican base still holds that against Cruz.
« Last Edit: November 07, 2018, 08:54:44 pm by thackney »
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Online DB

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Why did Abbott win by 13 points yet Cruz just squeaked by?   Is the problem a changing Texas electorate, or just the anomaly that is Ted Cruz?

Trump and his followers did a lot of damage to Cruz. They wanted to primary him not long ago.

Pretty hypocritical to feign concern about his near loss when they were the ones who did the primary damage.

Offline Sanguine

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Trump and his followers did a lot of damage to Cruz. They wanted to primary him not long ago.

Pretty hypocritical to feign concern about his near loss when they were the ones who did the primary damage.

Exactly!

Offline Frank Cannon

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that was too close last night.

That's because Cruz is a dud. He is undynamic, wooden and a stiff. He parrots platitudes and gets nothing done. Abbott didn't have any problems winning by a nice margin with the same electorate. That's all you need to know.

Offline Victoria33

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Dana Loesch just talked extensively about Cruz's win, and I'm going to drop some points here and see what you all think. 
According to her, Cruz won the most conservative county in the state by only 3000 votes.
@CatherineofAragon

The most conservative county in Texas is Montgomery County where my townhouse is.  Cruz won 72.31% of voters.  Beto won 26.04 % of voters.

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Online Elderberry

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Why did Abbott win by 13 points yet Cruz just squeaked by?   Is the problem a changing Texas electorate, or just the anomaly that is Ted Cruz?

Abbott held the megaphone. Since last year’s legislative session, the incumbent raised nearly $32 million. This year, he spent $46 million and still had $20 million left as of Oct. 27, according to his filings with the Texas Ethics Commission.

That left him plenty with which to place some last-minute bets on fellow Republicans, though he won’t have to disclose the details for many weeks.

Valdez raised $1.8 million through Oct. 27, meaning Abbott with his $66 million stash had nearly 37 times as much money to spend this year as she did.