# Does Beto O'Rourke have a chance to oust Ted Cruz? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [February 2, 2018, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-beto-orourke-have-a-chance-to-oust-ted-cruz/807987 "2018-02-02T00:12:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 22
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2018, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-beto-orourke-have-a-chance-to-oust-ted-cruz/807987/421 "2018-09-03T03:15:01Z")
> [@dalej42](#): > > The 2018 Senate map is about as bad as it could possibly be for the Democrats, several of these seats were pushed Democratic by Obama’s coattails in 2012 and idiotic Republican comments about abortion and rape. > > 2020 is a much better map for the Democrats, with only Doug Jones of Alabama in serious jeopardy as of today. [2020 United States Senate elections - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Senate_elections,_2020) > > So, even if the Democrats don’t take the Senate in 2018, keeping it as close to 50-50 as possible is critical. 2020 could end up with the Democrats having control of all 3 branches again. I would agree that is actually likely in 2020. But it won’t be with a big Senate majority. Looking at the 2020 map now, yeah, it’s a sea of red, but it’s a sea of red in red states. I literally don’t see a single Republican seat that is truly threatened unless Collins decides to retire in Maine. Colorado is kinda blue but Cory Gardner is fairly popular. But yeah, control of all three branches in 2020 seems like about a 70% chance to me. Depending on how smart Democrats are about the nominee at the top of the ticket. A turnout depressing nominee would not bode well for the House. ---
**Author:** ![Lance\_Turbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lance_turbo/32/6156_2.png) [@Lance\_Turbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lance_Turbo)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2018, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-beto-orourke-have-a-chance-to-oust-ted-cruz/807987/422 "2018-09-03T14:35:59Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > Colorado is kinda blue but Cory Gardner is fairly popular. Nope. > [@](#): > > Gardner, who was elected to represent Colorado in the US Senate in 2014, has a 25 percent approval rating in his home state, according to a survey from the American Politics Research Lab released on Thursday. The survey, taken in November and made public just now, found that Gardner’s approval has dipped significantly from 43 percent in 2016 to 25 percent; it appears the senator has been weighed down by Washington politics. [Link.](https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2018/1/27/16940024/cory-gardner-poll-trump-republican) ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2018, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-beto-orourke-have-a-chance-to-oust-ted-cruz/807987/423 "2018-09-03T14:51:08Z")
> [@dalej42](#): > > 2020 could end up with the Democrats having control of all 3 branches again. Nitpicky question: do you think 2020 would give Dems control of the Supreme Court, or were you counting House and Senate separately? ---
**Author:** ![Lance\_Turbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lance_turbo/32/6156_2.png) [@Lance\_Turbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lance_Turbo)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2018, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-beto-orourke-have-a-chance-to-oust-ted-cruz/807987/424 "2018-09-03T19:02:44Z")
Cruz once again [releases an ad](https://twitter.com/tedcruz/status/1036669764846977025) that makes Beto look cool. “Beto O’Rourke, showing the #@%\* up.” Um… Ted, that’s a good thing. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2018, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-beto-orourke-have-a-chance-to-oust-ted-cruz/807987/425 "2018-09-03T19:36:36Z")
How does he pronounce his name? The ad calls him “Bĕto”, which sounds like when Bush 1 mentioned “Sădd’m” to sound insulting. I was thinking it was closer to “Bāto”, or maybe “Bēto”. Which is it? ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2018, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-beto-orourke-have-a-chance-to-oust-ted-cruz/807987/426 "2018-09-03T21:07:13Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > Nitpicky question: do you think 2020 would give Dems control of the Supreme Court, or were you counting House and Senate separately? I misspoke. I was referring to the House/Senate/Presidency. Not much we can do about the court. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2018, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-beto-orourke-have-a-chance-to-oust-ted-cruz/807987/427 "2018-09-03T21:12:03Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > How does he pronounce his name? The ad calls him “Bĕto”, which sounds like when Bush 1 mentioned “Sădd’m” to sound insulting. I was thinking it was closer to “Bāto”, or maybe “Bēto”. Which is it? He says “BEH-to” to English speakers. To Spanish speakers, he uses the Spanish “e,” which doesn’t exist in English. It’s between that same “eh” and the vowel in English “say” (but without the “ee” that English speakers stick on the end of that vowel sound). ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2018, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-beto-orourke-have-a-chance-to-oust-ted-cruz/807987/428 "2018-09-03T21:19:16Z")
> [@Lance\_Turbo](#): > > Cruz once again [releases an ad](https://twitter.com/tedcruz/status/1036669764846977025) that makes Beto look cool. > > “Beto O’Rourke, showing the #@%\* up.” > > Um… Ted, that’s a good thing. Good grief. How is this supposed to help Cruz? I think a secret Beto supporter is putting together these ads. They make Rafael look like the doofus he is. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2018, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-beto-orourke-have-a-chance-to-oust-ted-cruz/807987/429 "2018-09-04T02:08:51Z")
someone should haul out his '16 logo and make sure we only ever see it with the first letter out of frame or obscured so that it says RUSTED ---
**Author:** ![Defensive\_Indifference](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/defensive_indifference/32/6502_2.png) [@Defensive\_Indifference](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Defensive_Indifference)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2018, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-beto-orourke-have-a-chance-to-oust-ted-cruz/807987/430 "2018-09-04T02:56:18Z")
I apologize if it’s been addressed in this thread already (I’m late to the party), but how is O’Rourke’s Spanish? I see an ad where he speaks Spanish, and I see that he challenged Cruz to a debate in Spanish, but as someone who doesn’t speak the language myself, I don’t know if he’s fluent or just competent. ---
**Author:** ![andros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e480ec/32.png) [@andros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andros)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2018, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-beto-orourke-have-a-chance-to-oust-ted-cruz/807987/431 "2018-09-04T03:43:55Z")
> [@Defensive\_Indifference](#): > > I apologize if it’s been addressed in this thread already (I’m late to the party), but how is O’Rourke’s Spanish? I see an ad where he speaks Spanish, and I see that he challenged Cruz to a debate in Spanish, but as someone who doesn’t speak the language myself, I don’t know if he’s fluent or just competent. He has a noticeable (to my _nuevomexicano_ ears) Gringo accent, and he does not speak as quickly as a native speaker. But he is most certainly fluent, if [this interview](https://www.facebook.com/betoorourke/videos/entrevista-con-jorge-ramos/1641502012566169/)is an appropriate representation. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2018, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-beto-orourke-have-a-chance-to-oust-ted-cruz/807987/432 "2018-09-04T03:53:44Z")
As I understand it, O’Rourke’s fluent Spanish is much better than Cruz’s. ---
**Author:** ![andros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e480ec/32.png) [@andros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andros)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2018, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-beto-orourke-have-a-chance-to-oust-ted-cruz/807987/433 "2018-09-04T14:00:13Z")
To his credit (I can’t believe I just typed those words), Cruz seem to have a good ear but suffers from, [as he puts it here,](https://youtu.be/QbI8LhpkSF4) “the problem of the second-generation immigrant.” He understands most, speaks little. I totally get that. But it means that there’s no way in hell he’ll ever do a full Spanish interview, let alone a debate. ---
**Author:** ![BigAppleBucky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigapplebucky/32/178_2.png) [@BigAppleBucky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigAppleBucky)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2018, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-beto-orourke-have-a-chance-to-oust-ted-cruz/807987/434 "2018-09-04T15:01:13Z")
> [@Lance\_Turbo](#): > > I came here to post about that. > > [GoFundMe](https://www.gofundme.com/texas-against-ted-cruz) to raise money to put an anti-Cruz Trump Tweet on a mobile billboard to troll the Trump/Cruz rally. > > This is quoted above, but I love it so much I’ll quote it again. Pearls of wisdom from the tiniest Twitter fingers… DONALD TRUMP’S OLD TWEETS ABOUT TED CRUZ WILL BE POSTED ON TEXAS BILLBOARD AFTER DAVID HOGG CAMPAIGN [[Donald Trump's Old Tweets About Ted Cruz Will be Posted on Texas Billboard After David Hogg Campaign](https://www.newsweek.com/david-hogg-ted-cruz-trump-billboard-beto-orourke-senate-texas-stadium-1101369) they have managed it]([Donald Trump's Old Tweets About Ted Cruz Will be Posted on Texas Billboard After David Hogg Campaign](https://www.newsweek.com/david-hogg-ted-cruz-trump-billboard-beto-orourke-senate-texas-stadium-1101369) they have managed it) > [@](#): > > David Hogg, a survivor of the school shooting in Parkland, Florida, and the head of an anti-Trump, anti-NRA Super PAC raised more than requested on GoFundMe to put up a Texas billboard featuring Trump ridiculing Sen. Ted Cruz. ---
**Author:** ![BigAppleBucky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigapplebucky/32/178_2.png) [@BigAppleBucky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigAppleBucky)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2018, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-beto-orourke-have-a-chance-to-oust-ted-cruz/807987/435 "2018-09-04T15:02:36Z")
> [@Lance\_Turbo](#): > > I came here to post about that. > > [GoFundMe](https://www.gofundme.com/texas-against-ted-cruz) to raise money to put an anti-Cruz Trump Tweet on a mobile billboard to troll the Trump/Cruz rally. > > This is quoted above, but I love it so much I’ll quote it again. Pearls of wisdom from the tiniest Twitter fingers… DONALD TRUMP’S OLD TWEETS ABOUT TED CRUZ WILL BE POSTED ON TEXAS BILLBOARD AFTER DAVID HOGG CAMPAIGN [https://www.newsweek.com/david-hogg-ted-cruz-trump-billboard-beto-orourke-senate-texas-stadium-1101369](https://www.newsweek.com/david-hogg-ted-cruz-trump-billboard-beto-orourke-senate-texas-stadium-1101369) > [@](#): > > David Hogg, a survivor of the school shooting in Parkland, Florida, and the head of an anti-Trump, anti-NRA Super PAC raised more than requested on GoFundMe to put up a Texas billboard featuring Trump ridiculing Sen. Ted Cruz. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2018, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-beto-orourke-have-a-chance-to-oust-ted-cruz/807987/436 "2018-09-04T15:12:02Z")
I tried to donate to that when I first saw it posted, but was unable because they had already met their goal and were no longer accepting donations. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2018, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-beto-orourke-have-a-chance-to-oust-ted-cruz/807987/437 "2018-09-04T20:15:42Z")
> [@BigAppleBucky](#): > > DONALD TRUMP’S OLD TWEETS ABOUT TED CRUZ WILL BE POSTED ON TEXAS BILLBOARD AFTER DAVID HOGG CAMPAIGN > > [[Donald Trump's Old Tweets About Ted Cruz Will be Posted on Texas Billboard After David Hogg Campaign](https://www.newsweek.com/david-hogg-ted-cruz-trump-billboard-beto-orourke-senate-texas-stadium-1101369) they have managed it]([Donald Trump's Old Tweets About Ted Cruz Will be Posted on Texas Billboard After David Hogg Campaign](https://www.newsweek.com/david-hogg-ted-cruz-trump-billboard-beto-orourke-senate-texas-stadium-1101369) they have managed it) Love it! ---
**Author:** ![Lance\_Turbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lance_turbo/32/6156_2.png) [@Lance\_Turbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lance_Turbo)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2018, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-beto-orourke-have-a-chance-to-oust-ted-cruz/807987/438 "2018-09-05T02:44:46Z")
> [@bobot](#): > > I tried to donate to that when I first saw it posted, but was unable because they had already met their goal and were no longer accepting donations. I did donate $10 when I first saw a Tweet about it when it was at about $3000. An hour later they were at $9000ish, 150% of their goal, and had stopped taking donations. ---
**Author:** ![Lance\_Turbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lance_turbo/32/6156_2.png) [@Lance\_Turbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lance_Turbo)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2018, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-beto-orourke-have-a-chance-to-oust-ted-cruz/807987/439 "2018-09-05T03:39:28Z")
From Think Progress… [Texas GOP on Beto O’Rourke: This guy rules, don’t vote for him](https://thinkprogress.org/texas-gop-cruz-beto-cool-5c8dc482ad05/) That’s an article about the many times the Texas GOP or the Cruz campaign has for some unknown reason made Beto look really cool. Most of these instances have already been discussed in this thread. > [@](#): > > The first rule of campaigning, as they say, is to make your opponent seem as cool, relatable, exciting, and attractive as possible. At least, that’s the strategy the Texas GOP and their main man Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Tex.) seem to be trying in their quest to take down his Democratic opponent, Texas representative Beto O’Rourke. > [@](#): > > The video then, for reasons, again, beyond me, cuts to O’Rourke on what I believe is a different jog, as the narrator says, “Beto O’Rourke, he’s showing the [beep] up.” > > I first saw this video more than an hour ago, and I honestly haven’t stopped screaming since. Not only is it hilarious that the Cruz campaign wants to make the Senate race about how his opponent talks like, you know, a normal human person from Texas, but also “showing up” is O’Rourke’s whole thing. ---
**Author:** ![betonbill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b782af/32.png) [@betonbill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/betonbill)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2018, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-beto-orourke-have-a-chance-to-oust-ted-cruz/807987/440 "2018-09-05T04:29:11Z")
He certainly showed up in response to the separating parents and children at the border controversy and was very vocal about it. Maybe Cruz said something, but he didn’t “show up.” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-beto-orourke-have-a-chance-to-oust-ted-cruz/807987.md?page=21) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-beto-orourke-have-a-chance-to-oust-ted-cruz/807987.md?page=23)