During their final debate before early voting in Texas, Democratic Senate candidate Representative Beto O'Rourke invoked the words of President Donald Trump to describe his opponent, Senator Ted Cruz.
After Cruz made a reference to O'Rourke's voting record in the House of Representatives, O'Rourke stated:
"This is what you can expect over the course of this debate. Senator Cruz is not going to be honest with you. He’s going to make up positions and votes that I’ve never held or have ever taken."
"He’s dishonest. It’s why the president called him ‘Lyin’ Ted,’ and it’s why the nickname stuck, because it’s true."
Cruz snickered throughout the statement from O'Rourke, but Cruz brought up the President numerous times during the debate when he spoke of his own positions on matters. Cruz hopes to convert any support for Trump in Texas into votes for himself.
Watch O'Rourke's comments here.
Later in the debate, O'Rourke asked Cruz why—if he had as close a relationship with Trump as he claimed throughout the debate—did that closeness not translate to benefits for the people of Texas. O'Rourke also invoked the words of the President again, stating Cruz was "all talk and no action" when it came to his support of women and the Me Too movement.
President Trump endorsed Cruz earlier this year, with a standard form tweet containing the same talking points as all of his GOP endorsements: tough on crime and the border and supports military, veterans and the 2nd amendment.
The formulaic endorsement tweet quickly drew comparisons to the more personalized 34 tweets Trump posted where he mocked "Lyin' Ted."
One supporter of O'Rourke even put a Trump tweet on the side of a truck that is making the rounds in Texas.
On Wednesday morning, Trump again endorsed Cruz with the same message except with the new standardardized inclusion GOP wants fewer regulations and lower taxes while Dems want higher taxes and more regulations.
The formulaic Trump tweet again drew mockery online with people revisiting some of the more personal, less standardized Twitter posts Trump made about Ted Cruz, including one where the President attacked Cruz's wife.
As well as bringing up Cruz's own statements about the President.
Cruz had some harsh words for Trump as well until after he won the Republican nomination.
People commenting on the Texas debate largely concurred with O'Rourke's assessment.
However the only opinions that matter in the end are those of the people of Texas. Polls opened today in Texas for early voting.
Midterm elections across the United States and US territories are slated for Tuesday, November 6, 2018.
