Beto O’Rourke ‘Came Out Swinging’ In Second And Final Debate Tuesday

It’s time to check in with the week that was in Texas Politics with Texas Tribune Editor in Chief Emily Ramshaw.

In the final debate between Sen. Ted Cruz and Rep. Beto O’Rourke, Ramshaw says O’Rourke “came out swinging.”

“We did see a more aggressive Beto O’Rourke than we’ve seen in the past. That said, you know, Cruz was still really a fierce adversary,” Ramshaw says.

On the first day of early voting Monday, Sept. 22, Republicans are coming to Houston for a rally in support of Ted Cruz. President Donald Trump will be there, but Ramshaw says it remains to be seen whether the rally will end up being more for Trump himself rather than for Cruz. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick will be there as well, and she says the event has gotten so big, it’s moving to a larger space.

“It’ll be a big Republican scene,” Ramshaw says.

Meanwhile, Texas State Rep. Pat Fallon of Frisco has been criticized after making disparaging remarks about Rep. Mary González of Clint. González identifies her sexuality as pansexual.

“He made some kind of joke along the lines of, you know, ‘hang on to your cookware,’ in sort of saying that people have all kinds of sexual identities that he doesn’t really believe to be real things,” Ramshaw says.

Ramshaw says Fallon apologized and that González accepted the apology, despite appearing to have some pretty raw feelings about the remark.

Listen to the full interview in the audio player above.

Written by Caroline Covington.