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One of the nation’s most high-profile Senate races has a winner: Texas Sen.Ted Cruz.
NBC News, ABC News,The New York Times, Politico and CNN have all projected that Cruz will defeat DemocratBeto O’Rourketo win re-election to a second term in the U.S. Senate.
While a Cruz victory was predictable, it was far from certain, according to polls leading up to Tuesday’s midterms. Texas’ deep red history means that it should’ve been a landslide for the senator, 47, but instead, he never secured a lead of more than nine points over the progressive O’Rourke, 46. The state hasn’t elected a Democrat to statewide office since 1994.
Since Trump entered office, the pair have worked together to “deliver on our promises,” Cruz said in an episode of ABC’sThis Week.Unlike Trump, though, Cruz has refused to call him a friend.
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The two men competing over this seat in many ways represented opposing American ideals. O’Rourke’s campaign championed far-left values built off his “cool guy” image (he rides a skateboard and used to play guitar in the punk rock band Foss), whereas Cruz, to many, stood for traditional Texan politics.
Sen. Ted Cruz.Michael Reynolds - Pool/Getty
The Republican, who ran for president in 2016, has held his Senate seat since 2013. Initially a critic of Trump, Cruz now supports much of the president’s agenda, includingending birthright citizenship, despiteshowing past supportfor the issue. O’Rourke was polling behind Cruz an average of 6.5 points, according toReal Clear Politics.
This race was one of four opportunities for Democrats to flip Republican-held seats. The other races are between Republican Sen. Dean Heller vs. Democratic Rep. Jacky Rosen for Nevada senator, Rep. Marsha Blackburn vs. Former Gov. Phil Bredesen for Tennessee senator, and Rep. Kyrsten Sinema vs. Rep. Martha McSally for Arizona senator.
source: people.com
