Tuesday night marked the second debate between Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) and his challenger, Beto O’Rourke (D-TX). It was a pivotal night for the two candidates. Polls are still surprisingly close in the race that should be an easy win for a Republican candidate in a redder than red state.
Beto wins the debate in the first 15 seconds. pic.twitter.com/euqeU2XDPd
— UnsilentMajority ? (@The_UnSilent_) October 17, 2018
O’Rourke first hit Cruz on his dishonesty about “fiscal responsibility” and his endless rants about raising the deficit all while supporting Trump’s tax cuts for the wealthy. Cruz insisted those tax cuts have helped Texas and that the Congressional Budget Office’s projections about the deficit are inflated. O’Rourke reminded viewers why Cruz supported the bill in the first place.
‘Follow the money. Those tax cuts will disproportionately flow to corporations who are already sitting on record piles of cash in a country that is riven with income inequality unseen seen since the last Gilded Age.’
3 key moments in Ted Cruz and Beto O’Rourke’s last Senate debate https://t.co/ZuXBTwFdym
— Vox (@voxdotcom) October 17, 2018
Cruz then tried to attack O’Rourke as being “extreme” on immigration due to his lack of support for Trump’s border wall. O’Rourke reminded viewers that his immigration policy platform supports a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers and smart reform, which doesn’t include an expensive and unnecessary border wall.
‘I care about the safety of every single person in the state of Texas. No wall is going to solve legitimate security concerns, but smart policy will.’
At tonight’s debate, Ted Cruz will once again try to paint Beto O’Rourke as a radical. You know what’s ACTUALLY radical? Trying to take away people’s healthcare, supporting Trump’s family separation policy, & exploding the deficit with tax breaks for billionaires. #TXSenateDebate
— Adam Best (@adamcbest) October 16, 2018
Perhaps Cruz’s most painful moment, however, came when he was asked to name one thing he had done over the past year outside of the senatorial duties he performs that would give Texans insight into him as a person.
His answer didn’t matter, because it came after a long silence and a frustrated sigh while he searched for any example to offer. O’Rourke had no such difficulties answering the question.
See the full debate below:
Watch the second debate between Texas Senator Ted Cruz and his Democratic challenger, Beto O'Rourke. #TXSen https://t.co/s5ucEEvsMs
— Twitter Moments (@TwitterMoments) October 17, 2018
Featured image screenshot via video