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Democratic Republic Beto O 'Rourke has not conducted in a single poll since he began his attempt to topple Texas Republican Senator Ted Cruz, but he has become a political sensation anyway partly thanks to its Facebook reality show and video clips that quickly became viral.
<p class = "canvas-atom-text-canvas Mb (1.0em) Mb (0) – sm Mt (0.8em) – sm" type = "text" content = "First, there was the clip the three-quarter MP from El Paso, Texas, playing with Willie Nelson on July 4, which was viewed half a million times. Some 200,000 and counting have watched O'Rourke skateboard around Whataburger parking Two weeks ago, the 45-year-old legislator released a "fshhhhhoo" while he was zooming in on the iPhone held by one of his collaborators. 88,000 others watched O'Rourke fold your clothes in a laundromat during his long month spent in Texas last month – a mundane snapshot of life on the campaign trail that sent at least one Facebook commentator on the candidate's ability to line up the seams of his shirts. -reactid = "23"> First of all, there was the clip the three-quarter MP from El Paso, Texas, playing with Willie Nelson on July 4, which was viewed half a million times. Some 200,000 and counting have watched O'Rourke skateboard around Whataburger parking Two weeks ago, the 45-year-old legislator released a "fshhhhhoo" while he was zooming in on the iPhone held by one of his collaborators. 88,000 others watched O'Rourke fold your clothes in laundromat during his month spent across Texas last month – a mundane snapshot of life on the campaign trail that sent at least one Facebook commentator into the Senate candidate's escape to line up the seams of his shirts .
<p class = "canvas-atom-text-canvas Mb (1.0em) Mb (0) – sm Mt (0.8em) – sm" type = "text" content = "A few days later, Betomania, like the Texans have referred to it, has reached a new high in the form of a viral video of O. Rourke defending the right of the NFL players to protest at the national anthem.has at least 30 million on Facebook and nearly 19 million on Twitter – when celebrities took note. Kevin Bacon the retweeted (causing confusion Cruz's counterattack involving "Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon.") Russell Crowe praised O'Rourke as a "guy." LeBron James called him a "must look". And the actress Ellen DeGeneres guest O & # 39; Rourke to come on his talk show, where he has to appear Wednesday, generating another series of free advertising for the campaign that has not had a hard time attracting media attention. "data-reactid =" 24 "> A few days later, Beto-mania, as the Texans referred to it, reached a new high in the form of a viral video of O & # Rourke defending the right NFL players to demonstrate at the national anthem – it has at least 30 million on Facebook and nearly 19 million on Twitter – when celebrities took note. Kevin Bacon the retweeted (causing confusion Cruz's counterattack involving "Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon.") Russell Crowe praised O'Rourke as a "guy." LeBron James called him a "must look". And the actress Ellen DeGeneres guest O & # 39; Rourke to come on his talk show, where he is due to appear on Wednesday, generating another series of free advertising for the campaign that has had no trouble attracting media attention.
<p class = "canvas-atom-canvas-text Mb (1.0em) Mb (0) – sm Mt (0.8em) – sm" type = "text" content = "En route to the last stretch before polling day, The political impulse in the race seems to be on the side of O & # Rourke, with his eye-catching media strategy, his media coverage a recent piece Vanity Fair who speculated that he could run for president in 2020, even if he loses his candidacy to the Senate), massive fundraisers and crowds filled that seem to be getting bigger by the day. "data-reactid =" 25 "> On the road to the final stage On election day, the political momentum in the race seems to be on the side of O & # Rourke, with his social media strategy drawing attention , its media coverage a recent piece Vanity Fair that supposed that he could run for president in 2020, even if he loses his candidacy to the Senate), massive fundraisers and packaged crowds that seem to be getting bigger by the day.
Republican Senator Ted Cruz, from Texas, discusses topics such as the death of Senator John McCain, religion in schools, the Affordable Care Act, tax reform, school shootings, standardized tests, and more. on August 25, 2018, at the Barn Door Steakhouse in Odessa, Texas. (Photo: Jacob Ford / Odessa American via AP)
<p class = "canvas-atom-canvas-text Mb (1.0em) Mb (0) – sm Mt (0.8em) – sm" type = "text" content = "Although O & # 39; Rourke did not not yet managed to pass Cruz the polls he got in the numbers including in a NBC / Marist survey last month, he found just 4 points behind his opponent – a shocking development in Texas red where a Democrat has not won an election since 1994. The trend is that insurgents are progressing faster than the polls. "data-reactid =" 37 "> Even though O & # 39; Rourke has not yet managed to pass Cruz in the polls, he remained at a single figure, including in a NBC / Marist survey last month, he found just 4 points behind his opponent – a shocking development in Texas red where a Democrat has not won an election since 1994. The trend is that insurgents are progressing faster than the polls. discard.
But for all this, some Texas Democrats fear that O 'Rourke is not ready to face the attack of political attacks from Cruz and his well-funded allies, while Republicans are fighting to keep a seat that could be critical for their control of the Senate next year.
Although the race has been intense for months, the GOP campaign to define and attack O'Rourke has accelerated in recent days, as Cruz and other GOP groups have launched new efforts to undermine 'O'Rourke
<p class = "canvas-atom-text-canvas Mb (1.0em) Mb (0) – sm Mt (0.8em) – sm" type = "text" content = "Tuesday, after more than a week of attack O & Rourke for his position on the NFL protests, Cruz published A 25-second excerpt of what his campaign claimed was proof that O'Rourke was also favorable to the burning of the American flag. The video featured an excerpt from Mr. O. Rourke's four-minute response to a voter who asked him if he supported NFL protests and he also supported the burning of flags. at a city council last week in El Paso. "40"> Tuesday, after more than a week of attack against O 'Rourke for his position on the NFL protests, Cruz published A 25-second excerpt of what his campaign claimed was proof that O'Rourke was also favorable to the burning of the American flag. The video showed an excerpt from O'Rourke's four-minute response to a voter who questioned him about his support for the NFL protests and the fact that he was also supporting the flag fire at a meeting. in El Paso.
<p class = "canvas-atom-canvas-text Mb (1.0em) Mb (0) – sm Mt (0.8em) – sm" type = "text" content = "O'Rourke told USA Today last week he was against the burning of the flag. But at the town hall he seemed to dodge the question About the flags Instead, the congressman spoke of his support for the NFL protests and likened them to civil rights protests, as he did in the past . "There is something fundamentally American about it," O'Rourke said of the NFL protests, adding that he was "grateful that people would be willing to do that." "Data-reactid =" 41 "> told USA Today last week he was against the burning of the flag. But at the town hall he seemed to dodge the question About the flags Instead, the congressman spoke of his support for the NFL protests and likened them to civil rights protests, as he did in the past . "There is something fundamentally American about it," O'Rourke said of the NFL protests, adding that he was "grateful that people would be willing to do it".
Cruz's campaign insists that she did not twist O'Rourke's words. The attack took place a few hours after two outside groups had launched TV commercials in the race attacking the Democratic Senate's hope.
<p class = "canvas-atom-canvas-text Mb (1.0em) Mb (0) – sm Mt (0.8em) – sm" type = "text" content = "The Club for Growth, who said that he would spend more than $ 1 million to help Cruz, launched an ad attacking O'Rourke, who served on the El Paso City Council prior to his congressional election, for backing a redevelopment plan that would have used a prominent estate to reshape the city's downtown. The advertisement accuses him of having acted to help his father-in-law, William Sanders, a prominent developer of El Paso. "Data-reactid =" 45 "> The Club for Growth, which stated that he would spend more than a million dollars to help stimulate Cruz, launched an ad attacking O'Rourke, who served on the El Paso City Council prior to his congressional election, for backing a redevelopment plan that would have used a prominent estate to reshape the city's downtown. The advertisement accuses him of acting to help his father-in-law, William Sanders, a prominent developer of El Paso.
<p class = "canvas-atom-canvas-text Mb (1.0em) Mb (0) – sm Mt (0.8em) – sm" type = "text" content = "In the meantime, Texans are [strong, patriotic…], a Virginia-based super PAC, founded by Cruz's former assistants, went on the air with an attack on O'Rourke on immigration. "Borders without law, reckless politician. It's Beto O'Rourke, the declared ad, according to the Texas Tribune. "data-reactid =" 46 "> Meanwhile, Texans are [strong, patriotic…], a Virginia-based super PAC, founded by Cruz's former assistants, went on the air with an attack on O'Rourke on immigration. "Borders without law, reckless politician. It's Beto O'Rourke, the declared ad, according to the Texas Tribune.
<p class = "canvas-atom-text-canvas Mb (1.0em) Mb (0) – sm Mt (0.8em) – sm" type = "text" content = "The O & # 39; Rourke campaign did not not responded to a Mr. O. Rourke told Yahoo News that critics had been made about Tuesday's flurry of commercials and, echoing the strategy of largely ignoring the attacks of Cruz and his allies this summer, he wanted to focus on a "positive campaign" rather than being dragged by Cruz, with whom he seldom mention the campaign route unless an elector brings him back. "People are tired of politics as usual," he said. "Data-reactid =" 47 "> The O & # 39; Rourke campaign did not respond to a request for comment on Tuesday's advertising series. Ignoring widely the attacks of Cruz and his allies, the campaign or the candidate on social networks have not given any formal answer. "This summer, O 'Rourke told Yahoo News that he wanted to focus on a positive campaign in a back and forth with Cruz, whose he seldom mention the campaign route unless an elector brings him back. "People are tired of politics," he said.
But this strategy worries some Democrats – particularly in the context of recent polls that show that over a third of Texas voters still say they do not know much about O 'Rourke, despite the massive publicity that his campaign had received. media and on social networks.
Democratic representative of Beto O'Rourke, of El Paso, greets supporters after a meeting at the Quail Point Lodge Hotel on August 16, 2018, in Horseshoe Bay, Texas. (Photo: Chris Covatta / Getty Images)
"I'm afraid that Cruz and his friends do not define Beto until he can really define himself," said a prominent Democratic strategist from Texas, who declined to be named in order to talk more freely about the campaign d & # 39; O & # 39; Rourke.
Although O'Rourke has surpassed Cruz in the past 18 months, some Democrats have expressed concern over O'Rourke's thin political operation before the last two months of the campaign. The Democratic member of Congress operated largely as his own strategist and resisted the money for a traditional campaign device – as a quick response team that could confront Cruz and outside groups at the GOP who would have to spend millions of dollars. d & # 39; election.
Instead, O'Rourke said he planned to invest most of his money in a field operation – an operation targeting not just urban areas but also rural counties where Democrats are generally not involved. not in competition. But these efforts have slowly moved closer in the context of a highly organized GOP reorganization campaign led by the re-election campaign of Texas Governor Greg Abbott, who worked on behalf of all Republicans on the ballot this year . red state.
<p class = "canvas-atom-canvas-text Mb (1.0em) Mb (0) – sm Mt (0.8em) – sm" type = "text" content = "The race in the Senate has already been heated for months, Cruz taking O 'Rourke for his liberal approach to immigration (including his opposition to a border wall), but the Republican senator and his allies have raised the issue in recent days, raising questions about the character of O. Rourke, published a video attacking O. Rourke to use vulgarities in public. ("Keep the kids at home," warns one narrator.) Last week, the Texas Republican Party launched a series of attacks on O'Rourke, posting pictures of the legislator. of his days in a punk band and A rant of his arrest in 1998 for driving while intoxicated. "Data-reactid =" 63 "> The race in the Senate has already been heated for months, Cruz's taking O 'Rourke for his liberal approach to immigration But the Republican senator and his Allies have set the bar very high in recent days, raising questions about O 's character Rourke. Monday, Cruz released a video attacking O' Rourke to use vulgarities in public. ("Keep the kids at home," warns one narrator.) Last week, the Texas Republican Party launched a series of attacks on O'Rourke, posting pictures of the legislator. of his days in a punk band and A rant his arrest in 1998 for driving while intoxicated.
O'Rourke openly spoke about his arrest at the DWI and other in 1995 when he was jailed for burglary after saying he jumped a barrier with friends at the University of Texas at El Paso. Although he points out that he was not convicted in any of the cases, O 'Rourke described both as "errors" and examples of "bad judgment" and "mischief." 39, "juvenile indiscretions" (he had just turned 26 in 1998). both advocate for a criminal justice reform, saying that he had the opportunity to go beyond his mistakes while other Texans, "especially those who do not look like me or have access to the same opportunities as me. "
Mb (0) – sm Mt (0.8em) – sm "type =" text "content =" But last week, the Houston Chronicle got a police report this suggests that O'Rourke's arrest of DWI was more serious than previously suggested. According to the report, O'Rourke lost control of his car and hit a truck, passing his vehicle through the traffic center in traffic. A witness told the police that O'Rourke had tried to get away from the scene. In a statement to the Chronicle, O 'Rourke again described the incident as "a serious mistake for which there is no excuse". He did not respond to the allegation that he attempted to leave the premises. Data-reactid = "65"> But last week, the Houston Chronicle got a police report this suggests that O'Rourke's arrest of DWI was more serious than previously suggested. According to the report, O'Rourke lost control of his car and hit a truck, passing his vehicle through the traffic center in traffic. A witness told the police that O'Rourke had tried to get away from the scene. In a statement to the Chronicle, O'Rourke again described the incident as "a serious mistake for which there is no excuse". He did not respond to the allegation that he attempted to leave the premises.
Texas Democratic Rep. Beto O 'Rourke, on the right, meets the campaign volunteers Maegan Ramirez, left, and Terri Ramirez, on February 26, 2013, in O' Rourke's office at Longworth House Office Building, Capitol Hill, Washington (Photo: Mandel Ngan / AFP / Getty Images)
This is not the first time that O'Rourke's arrests have been used against him. The topic was touched on both in his 2005 run for City Council and in his 2012 main campaign against Rep. Silvestre Reyes, an influential Mexican-American who had represented the El Paso area for over a decade. O'Rourke challenged his party to challenge Reyes, who had won major contributions from party leaders, including Barack Obama and Bill Clinton, and the race has been disastrous in recent weeks.
<p class = "canvas-atom-canvas-text Mb (1.0em) Mb (0) – sm Mt (0.8em) – sm" type = "text" content = "Although O & # 39; Rourke attacked Reyes for having used campaign funds pay family members, Reyes launched an ad drawing attention to the record of O'Rourke's arrests and a 2011 video showing that he had fallen into a bar in El Paso and was being spanked by an unidentified woman. The place, entitled "Character Counts", asserted without proof that O'Rourke was publicly drunk at the bar. Data-reactid = "78"> Although O'Rourke attacked Reyes for using campaign funds to pay family members, Reyes launched an ad drawing attention to the record of O'Rourke's arrests and a 2011 video showing that he had fallen into a bar in El Paso and was being spanked by an unidentified woman. The place, entitled "Character Counts", asserted, without proof, that O'Rourke was drunk in public at the bar.
<p class = "canvas-atom-text-canvas Mb (1.0em) Mb (0) – sm Mt (0.8em) – sm" type = "text" content = "In a May 2012 interview with El Paso Times O & # Rourke confirmed that it was him in the video, but insisted that he was not drunk. "I was celebrating with friends the day after the end of my term on the municipal council. I was dancing, the floor was wet, I slipped and I fell, "he told the newspaper."data-reactid =" 79 "> In an interview with El Paso Times in May 2012, O'Rourke confirmed that it was him in the video, but insisted that he was not in a drunken state. "I was celebrating with friends the day after the end of my term on the municipal council. I was dancing, the floor was wet, I slipped and I fell, "he told the newspaper.
<p class = "canvas-atom-canvas-text Mb (1.0em) Mb (0) – smt Mt (0.8em) – sm" type = "text" content = "O & # Rourke narrowly defeated Reyes, and although the former congressman is still active in politics – he was involved in Hillary Clinton's Texas presidential campaign and publicly opposed last year's President Donald Trump's immigration policies – Senate Campaign. He did not respond to a request for comment, but a former Reyes campaigner, who declined to be named, said O'Rourke's attack ads had failed."data-reactid =" 80 ">O & # Rourke narrowly defeated Reyes, and although the former congressman is still active in politics – he was involved in Hillary Clinton's Texas presidential campaign and publicly opposed last year's President Donald Trump's immigration policies – Senate Campaign. He did not respond to a request for comment, but a former Reyes campaigner, who declined to be named, said O'Rourke's attack ads had failed.
<p class = "canvas-atom-canvas-text Mb (1.0em) Mb (0) – smt Mt (0.8em) – sm" type = "text" content = ""This is not the case for everyone, but I think a lot of Texans are much more forgiving than you think, especially the kind of voters Beto needs," said the former assistant. Reyes. "data-reactid =" 81 ">"This is not the case for everyone, but I think a lot of Texans are much more forgiving than you think, especially the kind of voters Beto needs," said the former assistant. Reyes.
Although some Democrats are worried about O'Rourke's lack of campaign infrastructure, others suggest that because of his success so far, he does not need much influence. After all, very few Republicans or Democrats took O'Rourke seriously when he entered the race last year. Outside of El Paso, few people knew who he was, even members of his own party. As a Democratic strategist has said, O'Rourke is where he is because he did not run a typical campaign.
"In Texas, some of us are engaged in counseling and political campaigns and have concerns," said Colin Strother, a Democratic consultant in Austin, Texas.
"But the reality is that none of us knows how to win a state-wide campaign, and we all have to shut up and not find ourselves between something that works and November. And until now, what Beto has done has gone well. … let him go out and skateboard to eat Whataburger and spread it on social networks. What he does, it works.
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