# 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:** 39
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2018, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-beto-orourke-have-a-chance-to-oust-ted-cruz/807987/761 "2018-10-26T01:37:47Z")
He’d have to be bigger. Like Sgt Preston, now _there_ was a husky fucker. ---
**Author:** ![ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chockfullofheadygoodness/32/511_2.png) [@ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2018, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-beto-orourke-have-a-chance-to-oust-ted-cruz/807987/762 "2018-10-26T01:45:35Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > He’d have to be bigger. Like Sgt Preston, now _there_ was a husky fucker. Please tell me “husky” is being used as an adjective and not a noun :eek: ---
**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:** [October 26, 2018, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-beto-orourke-have-a-chance-to-oust-ted-cruz/807987/763 "2018-10-26T01:58:20Z")
> [@ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness](#): > > Please tell me “husky” is being used as an adjective and not a noun :eek: 😃 Good one! ---
**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:** [October 26, 2018, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-beto-orourke-have-a-chance-to-oust-ted-cruz/807987/764 "2018-10-26T02:45:42Z")
> [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > Ted does realize that his father is from Cuba right? And that he was born in Canada? ---
**Author:** ![Banquet\_Bear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/banquet_bear/32/373_2.png) [@Banquet\_Bear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banquet_Bear)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2018, 5:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-beto-orourke-have-a-chance-to-oust-ted-cruz/807987/765 "2018-10-26T05:56:21Z")
…yah know America, this kinda thing is really not cool. > [@Leah McElrath](#): > > I chose the “straight ticket” option for the Democratic Party on the first screen. > > Once I toggled through the 16+ page ballot and reached the final screen to review my choices, I saw that my vote for @BetoORourke had been changed to a vote for Ted Cruz. > > Photo below. [Photo actually at the link.](https://twitter.com/leahmcelrath/status/1055631800083640320) Really: not cool. Its a problem not unknown to the relevant authorities, because 3 days earlier: > [@](#): > > We have heard from a number of people voting on Hart eSlate machines that when they voted straight ticket, it appeared to them that the machine had changed one or more of their selections to a candidate from a different party. This can be **caused by the voter taking keyboard actions before a page has fully appeared on the eSlate, thereby de-selecting the pre-filled selection of that party’s candidate.** > > Specifically, the Hart eSlate system uses a keyboard with an “Enter” button and a selection wheel button. The “Enter” button on a Hart eSlate selects a voter’s choice. The selection wheel button on a Hart eSlate allows the voter to move up and down the ballot. \*\*It is important when voting on a Hart eSlate machine for the voter to use one button or the other and not both simultaneously, and for the voter to not hit the “Enter” button or use the selection wheel button until a page is fully rendered. \*\*A voter should note the response to the voter’s action on the keyboard prior to taking another keyboard action. It is also important for the voter to verify their selections are correct before casting their ballot. > **[Voting on Hart eSlate Machines](https://www.sos.state.tx.us/elections/laws/advisory2018-35.shtml)** > > We have heard from a number of people voting on Hart eSlate machines that when they voted straight ticket, it appeared to them that the machine had changed one or more of their selections to a candidate from a different party. Holy fucking shit. Many people struggle to use cellphones. How can you have voting machines that fail such a simple user-interaction test? When people have to click through 16 pages are they always going to wait until the entire page has refreshed? And it isn’t even a new problem. > **[Texas voting machines changing some straight-party selections](https://abc13.com/texas-election-voting-problems-in-straight-ticket-republican/4556377/)** > > Voters are reporting odd problems on both the Republican and Democratic side of straight-party voting in Texas. > [@](#): > > Oldham tells us **he recalls the problems for at least six years** and says he’s talked to the Secretary of State more than once about the problem. It has not been fixed aside from signs provided by the Secretary of State to warn voters to check their selections. > > … > > Oldham and another election expert tell 13 Investigates that in some states, pop up screens warn straight ticket voters if they purposely or accidentally select a candidate of the other party. \*\*Texas has no such electronic warning. > \*\* > **[Texas voting machines changing some straight-party selections](https://abc13.com/texas-election-voting-problems-in-straight-ticket-republican/4556377/)** > > Voters are reporting odd problems on both the Republican and Democratic side of straight-party voting in Texas. Its incredible that so many in America are happy to fight for ways of “combating voter fraud” (and those ways are often to enable voter suppression) but are so unconcerned that the technology used to register those votes are so fatally flawed. An electronic warning is the very least they could do. ---
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2018, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-beto-orourke-have-a-chance-to-oust-ted-cruz/807987/766 "2018-10-26T20:22:37Z")
Yep, that’s the kind of machine they have at my polling place (Tarrant County). I am always careful to make sure the final screen shows my correct choices, but it’s ridiculous that this kind of thing can happen. And there is no paper ballot at all–it’s completely electronic. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2018, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-beto-orourke-have-a-chance-to-oust-ted-cruz/807987/767 "2018-10-26T20:37:33Z")
You know, I knew nothing about this “voter malfunction” thing when I went and voted. But after fast forwarding through 16 pages (because I voted straight blue), I started to get paranoid that maybe I clicked something wrong when I was FF’ing through all the pages. I made DAMN sure Beto was selected on that last screen. Glad I did. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2018, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-beto-orourke-have-a-chance-to-oust-ted-cruz/807987/768 "2018-10-26T21:05:36Z")
Until or unless voting officials fix it, it looks like the only way around it would be to avoid the straight-party ticket and simply individually select each voting option one by one. ---
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2018, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-beto-orourke-have-a-chance-to-oust-ted-cruz/807987/769 "2018-10-26T21:59:13Z")
Yeah, though I think you can still have problems even then if you don’t let each screen fully load or if you accidentally hit the enter button while scrolling. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2018, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-beto-orourke-have-a-chance-to-oust-ted-cruz/807987/770 "2018-10-26T23:59:45Z")
The media has treated Beto like a rock star, something they never do for Republicans. Which is good, because it’s meant Democratic donors have poured money into a race they probably won’t win, making other Democrats that could win their races more vulnerable. So carry on, media! ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2018, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-beto-orourke-have-a-chance-to-oust-ted-cruz/807987/771 "2018-10-27T00:01:53Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > The media has treated Beto like a rock star, something they never do for Republicans. Which is good, because it’s meant Democratic donors have poured money into a race they probably won’t win, making other Democrats that could win their races more vulnerable. So carry on, media! Maybe no Republican has what it takes to appear like a Rock Stare. However, surely you recall the faux-Republican Trump in 2016 getting wall-to-wall coverage by almost all media outlets. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2018, 11:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-beto-orourke-have-a-chance-to-oust-ted-cruz/807987/772 "2018-10-27T11:20:29Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > Maybe no Republican has what it takes to appear like a Rock Stare. However, surely you recall the faux-Republican Trump in 2016 getting wall-to-wall coverage by almost all media outlets. Getting lots of coverage is something any candidate can do if they are interesting. The media doesnt’ discriminate when it comes to getting eyeballs. They’ll cover whoever is most interesting. But Trump coverage was very negative. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2018, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-beto-orourke-have-a-chance-to-oust-ted-cruz/807987/773 "2018-10-27T13:13:20Z")
Yes, because Trump is very negative. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2018, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-beto-orourke-have-a-chance-to-oust-ted-cruz/807987/774 "2018-10-27T15:40:41Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > But Trump coverage was very negative. So negative it propelled him into the White House, right? :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2018, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-beto-orourke-have-a-chance-to-oust-ted-cruz/807987/775 "2018-10-28T00:06:08Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > But Trump coverage was very negative. Does that mean _factual_? If so, what’s your beef? ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2018, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-beto-orourke-have-a-chance-to-oust-ted-cruz/807987/776 "2018-10-28T18:33:21Z")
[Oh yeah, about that](https://www.forbes.com/sites/brettedkins/2016/12/13/trump-benefited-from-overwhelmingly-negative-tone-of-election-news-coverage-study-finds/#540dbc132025): > [@](#): > > The study found that 62% of the coverage of Clinton and 56% of the coverage of Trump was negative in tone. These numbers actually overstate the amount of positive press the candidates received. Most of the “positive” stories here were about new poll numbers. Each one of these horse race stories was “good press” for one candidate and “bad press” for the other. > … > > **On top of receiving more positive press than Clinton, Trump received 15% more press coverage overall than Clinton**. His policy ideas received more attention than Clinton’s, and Clinton’s scandals received more coverage than Trump’s. The number of stories focused on Clinton’s emails and ongoing investigations peaked in the final two weeks of the campaign. Bolding added. But really, how would you report objectively and factually about Trump \*without \*portraying him negatively? ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Lowry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@Sam\_Lowry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Lowry)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2018, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-beto-orourke-have-a-chance-to-oust-ted-cruz/807987/777 "2018-10-29T17:20:09Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > The media has treated Beto like a rock star, something they never do for Republicans. Which is good, because it’s meant Democratic donors have poured money into a race they probably won’t win, making other Democrats that could win their races more vulnerable. So carry on, media! The money that Beto has received wasn’t from some big pot of money that now won’t be used for other races. A lot of it is from people who haven’t donated before but then were inspired by Beto. If there was just some average candidate running in his place, all that money wouldn’t be going to other candidates, it just wouldn’t be donated. Also, if anything I’m guessing Beto will help Texas house races. I don’t know if there’s a way to track this, but I’m guessing more than a few people might have stayed home except now they are motivated to get out and vote for Beto, and while they are voting for him they’ll vote for other Dems. Beto has also campaigned and appeared with some other candidates. And regardless of if he wins or loses, I’m guessing some more candidates will look at how he raised so much money without taking any PAC money and will do the same. He’s not just getting money because he’s getting media attention, he’s getting media attention because there are a lot of things people like about him, and him not accepting PAC money is one thing, and so people who like him give him money, ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Lowry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@Sam\_Lowry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Lowry)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2018, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-beto-orourke-have-a-chance-to-oust-ted-cruz/807987/778 "2018-10-29T22:54:09Z")
Also, I’m guessing not much Democratic money is being spent on Beto that would otherwise be spent on other Democratic races, but I’m pretty sure a good amount of Republican money is being spent on Cruz that Republican donors never thought they’d have to spend in Texas, and that they otherwise would have been spending on other races. It’s hard to compare things from year to year and race to race perfectly, but according to [OpenSecrets.org](http://OpenSecrets.org) it looks like for the 2014 race John Cornyn raised $17.2M and spent $14.6M, while Ted Cruz for this race has raised $40.1M and spent $33.9M. I don’t know if that’s draining enough from other races to make a difference but I’m guessing it hurts the Republicans. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Tooth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c67d28/32.png) [@The\_Tooth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tooth)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2018, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-beto-orourke-have-a-chance-to-oust-ted-cruz/807987/779 "2018-10-30T00:37:18Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > They say that Alberta is the Texas of Canada. I would be more comfortable, though, if he ended up in YK. Or maybe Iqaluit. You know, far away from here. Considering Ford and his political leanings and Notley and her political leanings, that’s not as true as it used to be. And I’ve been known to say it myself. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2018, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-beto-orourke-have-a-chance-to-oust-ted-cruz/807987/780 "2018-10-30T01:44:41Z")
The people who say this, have any of them actually been to Texas? I have some complicated feelings about my native land, but I’m quite sure one Texas is enough. Maybe Australia is the Texas of the Pacific, because that’s where spiders eat Volkswagens. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-beto-orourke-have-a-chance-to-oust-ted-cruz/807987.md?page=38) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-beto-orourke-have-a-chance-to-oust-ted-cruz/807987.md?page=40)