Democratic Texas Senate candidate Beto O’Rourke reiterated the claim that his mother is a Republican — despite her voting record — during an interview with MSNBC’s Chris Matthews.
The interview was held at the University of Houston on Tuesday, and members of the audience were given the opportunity to ask the candidate questions.
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“Thank you, sir. I’m a proud Democrat, Republican co-workers, friends and families who are on the fence about voting for a candidate outside their party. I failed to convince them, but maybe you can. What would you tell a moderate conservative to have them join team Beto,” Ryan Lopez, a professional banker, asked.
“First, I would share with them that I am the son of a Republican mother whom we have convinced to vote for me in this election. I know it can be done. I mentioned earlier anything of any consequence that I’ve been a part of since I’ve been a member of Congress I have done by reaching across the aisle compromising, finding consensus and then moving forward,” O’Rourke responded.
U.S. Rep. Beto O’Rourke (D-TX) and U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) face off in a debate at the KENS 5 studios on October 16, 2018 in San Antonio, Texas. A recent poll show Cruz leading O’Rourke 52-45 percent among likely voters. Tom Reel-Pool/Getty Images
Melissa O’Rourke, Beto’s mother, has voted in both Democratic and Republican primaries in Texas since the turn of the century, according to CNN’s KFile. She has voted in 15 of the previous 17 Democratic primary elections, including 2008, 2012 and 2016. Conversely, she has voted in only two Republican primaries, 2006 and 2010. (RELATED: O’Rourke’s ‘Lifelong Republican’ Mother More Often Votes Democrat)
Melissa O’Rourke also donated money to candidates of both political parties. O’Rourke donated to her son’s opponent Senator Ted Cruz and Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney back in 2012. But, she also donated to then Senator Barack Obama back in 2007.
O’Rourke is trailing Cruz by 6 points, according to a University of Texas/Texas Tribune poll of likely voters released last Friday.
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