Changes

In the Republican primary held on March 6, 2018, Cruz defeated four weak intra-party opponents with 1,317,450 votes (85.3 percent). In the Democratic primary, O'Rourke received 641,337 votes (61.8 percent) over two intra-party rivals. Some 506,000 more Republicans voted in the Texas primary than did Democrats.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://enrpages.sos.state.tx.us/public/mar06_325_state.htm?x=0&y=1394&id=142|title=Election Returns|date=March 6, 2018|publisher=Texas Secretary of State|accessdate=March 9, 2018}}</ref>  

In the Republican primary held on March 6, 2018, Cruz defeated four weak intra-party opponents with 1,317,450 votes (85.3 percent). In the Democratic primary, O'Rourke received 641,337 votes (61.8 percent) over two intra-party rivals. Some 506,000 more Republicans voted in the Texas primary than did Democrats.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://enrpages.sos.state.tx.us/public/mar06_325_state.htm?x=0&y=1394&id=142|title=Election Returns|date=March 6, 2018|publisher=Texas Secretary of State|accessdate=March 9, 2018}}</ref>  

Unlike Cruz, O'Rourke is not himself Hispanic. He is considered a potentially strong opponent to Cruz because of his early start to his campaign, favorable media coverage, strong fund-raising (often surpassing that of Cruz, though most of his funding comes from outside the state), and a perception that he resembles "a Kennedy," referring to the popular [[Massachusetts]] [[John F. Kennedy|family of politicians]]. He has the same given names as [[Robert Kennedy|Robert Francis Kennedy]]. Already a Senate candidate in 2017, O'Rourke traveled by car to southeastern Texas to participate in Hurricane Harvey relief operations.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.texasmonthly.com/articles/makes-beto-orourke-run/|title=Does Beto O'Rourke Stand a Chance Against Ted Cruz|date=January 2018|publisher=Texasmonthly.com|accessdate=March 9, 2018}}</ref>

Unlike Cruz, O'Rourke is not himself Hispanic. He strongly contested Cruz by means of his early start to his campaign, favorable media coverage, strong fund-raising (often surpassing that of Cruz, though most of his funding comes from outside the state), and a perception that he resembles "a Kennedy," referring to the popular [[Massachusetts]] [[John F. Kennedy|family of politicians]]. He has the same given names as [[Robert Kennedy|Robert Francis Kennedy]]. Already a Senate candidate in 2017, O'Rourke traveled by car to southeastern Texas to participate in Hurricane Harvey relief operations.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.texasmonthly.com/articles/makes-beto-orourke-run/|title=Does Beto O'Rourke Stand a Chance Against Ted Cruz|date=January 2018|publisher=Texasmonthly.com|accessdate=March 9, 2018}}</ref>

O'Rourke has developed a friendly relationship with [[Moderate Republican]] [[Will Hurd]] of Helotes, an [[African-American]] who represents Texas' 23rd congressional district. The two rode together by car in 2017 from Texas to [[Washington, D.C.]]<ref>Bill Lambrecht, "From border to brink of Senate run," ''San Antonio Express-News'', March 17, 2017, pp. 1, A9.</ref>Hurd won a third term in 2018 by seven hundred votes. O'Rourke supports [[amnesty]] for [[illegal alien]]s, [[LGBT]], [[gun control]], [[Obamacare]], and [[abortion]]. He opposes the War on Drugs and urges the liberalization of narcotics laws.

O'Rourke has developed a friendly relationship with [[Moderate Republican]] [[Will Hurd]] of Helotes, an [[African-American]] who represents Texas' 23rd congressional district. The two rode together by car in 2017 from Texas to [[Washington, D.C.]]<ref>Bill Lambrecht, "From border to brink of Senate run," ''San Antonio Express-News'', March 17, 2017, pp. 1, A9.</ref>Hurd won a third term in 2018 by about one thousand votes. O'Rourke supports [[amnesty]] for [[illegal alien]]s, [[LGBT]], [[gun control]], [[Obamacare]], and [[abortion]]. He opposes the War on Drugs and urges the liberalization of narcotics laws.

In an appearance on ''Real Time with Bill Maher'' on March 6, 2018, O'Rourke agreed with liberal host [[Bill Maher]], who labeled Ted Cruz "a giant ass-hole." O'Rourke claimed on the broadcast that voters would "never have to wonder who it is I represent or who I’m voting for. It’s going to be the people of Texas, every single time." O'Rourke said that Cruz has allegedly alienated himself from the mass of Texas voters.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/democratic-challenger-agrees-with-bill-maher-that-ted-cruz-is-a-giant-a-hole|title=Democratic challenger agrees with Bill Maher that Ted Cruz is a 'giant a--hole'|author=Katie Leach|publisher=''The Washington Examiner''|date=March 17, 2018|accessdate=March 18, 2018}}</ref>  

In an appearance on ''Real Time with Bill Maher'' on March 6, 2018, O'Rourke agreed with liberal host [[Bill Maher]], who labeled Ted Cruz "a giant ass-hole." O'Rourke claimed on the broadcast that voters would "never have to wonder who it is I represent or who I’m voting for. It’s going to be the people of Texas, every single time." O'Rourke said that Cruz has allegedly alienated himself from the mass of Texas voters.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/democratic-challenger-agrees-with-bill-maher-that-ted-cruz-is-a-giant-a-hole|title=Democratic challenger agrees with Bill Maher that Ted Cruz is a 'giant a--hole'|author=Katie Leach|publisher=''The Washington Examiner''|date=March 17, 2018|accessdate=March 18, 2018}}</ref>  

O'Rourke carries the support of several liberals in the acting profession, such as Connie Britton, a Democrat who played the caring mother and wife on the former [[NBC]] [[television]] series, ''Friday Night Lights''.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.chron.com/news/politics/texas/article/Celebrities-who-are-supporting-Beto-O-Rourke-for-12806358.php|title=Celebrities who are supporting Democrat Beto O'Rourke for Senate: Republican incumbent Ted Cruz also has enjoyed some support from the entertainment industry|publisher=''The Houston Chronicle''|date=April 5, 2018|author=Jeremy Wallace|accessdate=April 7, 2018}}</ref> Other celebrities on the O'Rourke team are Sarah Jessica Parker, formerly with the television series ''Sex and the City'', and talk show host [[Rosie O'Donnell]], a long-term critic of President Trump.<ref name=feastorfamine>Gilbert Garcia, "For O'Rourke, November means feast or famine" (commentary), ''The San Antonio Express-News'', May 13, 2018, p. A2.</ref>

O'Rourke carries the support of several liberals in the acting profession, such as Connie Britton, a Democrat who played the caring mother and wife on the former [[NBC]] [[television]] series, ''Friday Night Lights''.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.chron.com/news/politics/texas/article/Celebrities-who-are-supporting-Beto-O-Rourke-for-12806358.php|title=Celebrities who are supporting Democrat Beto O'Rourke for Senate: Republican incumbent Ted Cruz also has enjoyed some support from the entertainment industry|publisher=''The Houston Chronicle''|date=April 5, 2018|author=Jeremy Wallace|accessdate=April 7, 2018}}</ref> Other celebrities on the O'Rourke team are Sarah Jessica Parker, formerly with the television series ''Sex and the City'', and talk show host [[Rosie O'Donnell]], a long-term critic of President Trump.<ref name=feastorfamine>Gilbert Garcia, "For O'Rourke, November means feast or famine" (commentary), ''The San Antonio Express-News'', May 13, 2018, p. A2.</ref>

Gilbert Garcia, the San Antonio journalist, notes that O'Rourke will immediately become mentioned as a future presidential possibility if he succeeds in upsetting Cruz. "With his Kennedy-esque looks and defiantly idealistic exuberance, he has that rare ability to inspire voters" while establishment politicians make voting a dull civic exercise not much different from "eating your [[broccoli]]".<ref name=feastorfamine/>

Gilbert Garcia, the San Antonio journalist, notes that O'Rourke would immediately become mentioned as a future presidential possibility if he succeeds in upsetting Cruz. "With his Kennedy-esque looks and defiantly idealistic exuberance, he has that rare ability to inspire voters" while establishment politicians make voting a dull civic exercise not much different from "eating your [[broccoli]]".<ref name=feastorfamine/> Yet even in defeat, O'Rourke remains one of the three leading candidates for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination.

In April 2018, O'Rourke addressed a gathering of five hundred at [[Texas Tech University]] in the usually Republican city of [[Lubbock]]. In his speech, he denounced what he called Republican "paranoia, the fear, the divisiveness, the smallness that distinguishes that kind of thinking and leadership." Instead, O'Rourke vowed to promote "confidence and a courage and a strength and a kindness and a big heart that can only come from Texas."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lubbockonline.com/news/20180408/orourke-town-halls-attracts-500-plus-at-texas-tech|title=O'Rourke town hall attracts 500-plus at Texas Tech|publisher=''The Lubbock Avalanche-Journal''|accessdate=April 8, 2018}}</ref> At that same meeting, O'Rourke said that he had seen enough evidence to warrant the [[impeachment]] of President Trump. A few days later at Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas, O'Rourke denied that he is pre-committed to impeachment: "I never brought this issue up." O'Rourke described impeachment as "perhaps the most serious and solemn responsibility" for members of Congress and "not something we should trifle with or campaign on."<ref>Gilbert Garcia, "Promises to impeach Trump send wrong message for Democrats" (commentary), ''The San Antonio Express-News'', April 29, 2018, pp. 1, A2.</ref> Ultimately Cruz won Lubbock County, 58,709 (64.2 percent) to O'Rourke's 31,976 (35 percent),

In April 2018, O'Rourke addressed a gathering of five hundred at [[Texas Tech University]] in the usually Republican city of [[Lubbock]]. In his speech, he denounced what he called Republican "paranoia, the fear, the divisiveness, the smallness that distinguishes that kind of thinking and leadership." Instead, O'Rourke vowed to promote "confidence and a courage and a strength and a kindness and a big heart that can only come from Texas."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lubbockonline.com/news/20180408/orourke-town-halls-attracts-500-plus-at-texas-tech|title=O'Rourke town hall attracts 500-plus at Texas Tech|publisher=''The Lubbock Avalanche-Journal''|accessdate=April 8, 2018}}</ref> At that same meeting, O'Rourke said that he had seen enough evidence to warrant the [[impeachment]] of President Trump. A few days later at Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas, O'Rourke denied that he is pre-committed to impeachment: "I never brought this issue up." O'Rourke described impeachment as "perhaps the most serious and solemn responsibility" for members of Congress and "not something we should trifle with or campaign on."<ref>Gilbert Garcia, "Promises to impeach Trump send wrong message for Democrats" (commentary), ''The San Antonio Express-News'', April 29, 2018, pp. 1, A2.</ref> Ultimately Cruz won Lubbock County, 58,709 (64.2 percent) to O'Rourke's 31,976 (35 percent),