This very red state is turning blue. Texas Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) has found a competitor fast on his heels, where none existed before. Cruz had to have his former arch-enemy, Donald Trump, come stump for him. Yet, in spite of all that Cruz has done, Beto O’Rourke (R-TX) leaps ahead. O’Rourke is a charismatic U.S. representative who went to each of the states counties, over 200, on a listening tour, and it paid off. Now this exciting news pulls him even further along in the polls.
In a surprise move, The Houston Chronicle recently endorsed the Democratic candidate. Now, The Dallas Morning News has endorsed O’Rourke, too. The paper explained its move:
‘In looking at the race for United States Senate in Texas, we recognize that this country stands on a precipice. Whether we fall off the edge depends on how we answer this question: Can we set policy differences aside, even for a moment, and agree to treat each other with the respect befitting a great nation, with acknowledgment of the humanity of each person?’
The Dallas Morning News wrote that the country is at a “divisive political” moment and needs politicians who can work together:
‘For this reason more than any other, we favor U.S. Rep. Beto O’Rourke for U.S. Senate. The pivotal issue before our country is public leadership, and here we believe O’Rourke’s tone aligns with what is required now. This inclusive and hopeful tone, along with O’Rourke’s approach of starting with shared principles and working toward solutions, offset any policy differences we have with him. Leadership is more than policy, and whether we are addressing the very real challenges before us now turns on our ability to find points of agreement.’
The newspaper pointed out obliquely that Cruz does not have the “demeanor” nor the “humbleness” for the job:
‘In this respect, O’Rourke is the stronger candidate. In conducting his campaign, he has displayed a demeanor that offers respect for each person and a humbleness that will allow him to open the door to working with those who hold political views different from his. We believe O’Rourke is right in calling for rejoining the Paris climate accord, supporting the vast potential of renewable energy in Texas, and calling for universal background checks on guns. He is also right to reject the call for construction of a border wall and to call for comprehensive and fair immigration reform.’
The paper wrote that Cruz has been divisive, whereas O’Rourke was not:
‘But there is a set of principles we would like to restore in domestic politics that starts with building political bridges. Before he became Cruz’s challenger, O’Rourke was a congressman best known outside of El Paso for road-tripping across Texas and up to Washington with Republican Congressman Will Hurd. The two had serious differences, but their camaraderie and their willingness to discuss compromise were a brief antidote to the political poison seeping out of the capital.’
The Dallas Morning News noted that O’Rourke has not been perfect, but:
‘He is shattering expectations in a state where Democrats haven’t won a statewide race in decades. The dollars he has raised and the number of supporters he has garnered are evidence of an embedded hunger in this state and country for a campaign that’s based on unifying communities. In the divisive times in which we live, we believe that tone and leadership are the top issues with which to judge these candidates’ tenures in office. So we’re placing a bet on Beto.;
Featured image is a screenshot via YouTube.
