O’Rourke picks up third Texas newspaper endorsement over Cruz

The Fort Worth Star-Telegram, the leading newspaper in the third-largest county in Texas, on Friday endorsed Rep. Beto O’Rourke (D) in his Senate race against incumbent Sen. Ted CruzRafael (Ted) Edward CruzTech workers’ political donations overwhelmingly skew Democratic: report Election Countdown: Latest glimpse at fundraising highlights Dem edge | Cook moves Menendez race to toss up | Heated Missouri Senate debate | O’Rourke scrambling to win Latino voters | Bloomberg spending big for Dem candidates | DNC talks 2020 debates O’Rourke raises more than M in Texas Senate bid MORE (R).

“U.S. Rep. Beto O’Rourke and U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz represent the hard left and right of American politics,” the editorial board wrote. “Neither stands in the middle ground, where the real work is done to lead America.”

“But only O’Rourke seems interested in making deals or finding middle ground. That is why the El Paso Democrat would make the best senator for Tarrant County’s future, and the future of Texas,” the editorial board continued.

The Fort Worth Star-Telegram noted that although O’Rourke’s “new way” campaign against politics-as-usual has captured attention and money, the paper added that much of what he says, particularly about immigration and health care, sounds “like what Texas business conservatives used to say before the emergence of New York Republican Donald TrumpDonald John TrumpFour takeaways from Heitkamp and Cramer’s tense final Senate debate Obama takes jab at Trump: ‘Nobody in my administration got indicted’ Lawyer for mail bomb suspect’s family: ‘He found a father in Trump’ MORE.”

“U.S. Sen. John CornynJohn CornynSocial media is the machine gun of modern disinformation war Cruz jokes about locking up Beto O’Rourke in ‘double-occupancy cell’ with Clinton Manchin wrestles with progressive backlash in West Virginia MORE says we shouldn’t deport Dreamer students over their parents’ mistakes. Former Gov. Rick PerryJames (Rick) Richard PerryNew Russian hacks raise alarms in US Trump switches out energy commission chairman Overnight Energy: Political appointee taking over as Interior IG | Change comes amid Zinke probe | White Houses shelves coal, nuke bailout plan | Top Dem warns coal export proposal hurts military MORE, now energy secretary, has said a border wall ‘doesn’t make sense,’” the editorial board wrote. “President George W. Bush endorsed a path to legal status for those who came illegally but worked peacefully, supported the economy and showed good character.” 

“These are the same Texas values that O’Rourke now defends,” the newspaper wrote.

Though the newspaper pointed out that Cruz and O’Rourke both support free trade, the editorial board claims the Texas Democrat would have “more room to oppose the president’s questionable trade and tariff decisions, which threaten Texas.”

“This endorsement did not come without some disagreement,” the editorial board continued. “Cruz is closer to Texas’ and Tarrant County’s views on issues related to faith and values, and also on energy policy.”

The newspaper went on to say that Cruz was elected with “no experience in any council or legislature, and it shows.”

“His intransigence prevents him from currying support or negotiating deals to help Texas,” the editorial states.

The Fort Worth Star-Telegram previously endorsed conservative Republicans such as George W. Bush and Mitt RomneyWillard (Mitt) Mitt RomneyEvangelical pastor on bus tour contrasts Trump quotes with the Bible The Hill’s 12:30 Report — Suspicious packages sent to Biden, DeNiro | Trump says media partly to blame for ‘anger’ | Mattis sending troops to border Dallas Morning News endorses Beto O’Rourke MORE for president, in addition to Sen. John Cornyn and former Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison.

But, in the Texas newspaper’s own words, Cruz “does not measure up.”

“This office needs a reset,” the editorial concluded.

The Fort Worth Star-Telegram’s endorsement of O’Rourke arrives on the heels of The Houston Chronicle’s endorsement of the Democrat earlier this month and Dallas Morning News’s endorsement on Thursday.

The RealClearPolitics polling average shows Cruz with a nearly 7-point lead.

The nonpartisan Cook Political Report rates the race a toss-up.