u.s. cities bringing the book scene to hav viewers. can watch more on tour..org/city ♪ >> c-span "washington journal." live everyday with news and policy issues that impact you. coming up saturday morning, conservation voters president will be on to talk election.november president of public affairs discusses the research group's latest poll on brett kavanaugh nomination.t dean king will join us what it's like being trump supporter in hollywood. watch "washington journal" live 7:00 eastern saturday morning. the discussion. >> c-span's 2018 campaign coverage continues now with a senate debate between republican ted cruz and

congressman beto o'rourke. iny're meeting in smu dallas. this comes as courtesy of mcb5. starting shortly. ♪ >> this is no ordinary election. this is volatile. >> i think our best days are ahead. i want texas to lead this country. >> to the together, we will keep red. bright >> tonight, senator ted cruz and beto o'rourke face off. year and a half delivering real results. newsom the dallas morning

, live from the smu in dallas. >> welcome to the first texas 5.ate debate i'm from nbc >> here are the rules for tonight's 60 minute debate. a question is asked, the candidate will have 90 seconds to answer. his opponent will have 60 seconds for a response and the then the candidate will have rebuts 30 seconds for tool -- rebuttal. towe ask the audience not applaud and respond during the debate. for now, we welcome candidates.

cruz.ican incumbent ted o'rourke.tive beto >> with that gentlemen, let's begin. congress o'rourke you drew the first question. to start with you. you said last week representative a you want dreamers today. yet others would apply to come wait.rica continue to senator cruz said he doesn't support path to citizenship for dreamers which means they can be to a country they've never known. who's right representative? say thank you to nbc 5 to the dallas morning news to people of dallas for having us here tonight. senator ted cruz for participatinparticipating in th. i'm looking forward to the discussion. , amy and i were in booker, texas. we were surprised as we were going door to door to hear in

the number one concern from people in that community was the fate of dreamers. nearly 200,000 in the texas.f everyone there was concerned about his welfare. the factoncerned about that he just been sent back to a country who's language he didn't longer had family connections if he was successful long odds he'd be successful there and not here for texas. tane's no better people those of us here in this state, democrats andd independents. defining immigrant experience to laws inour immigration our own image. to ensure that we begin by dreamers from the fear of deportation by making them u.s. citizens so they can to their full potential to the success not just of themselves and their country.but to this the economist who studied it said we are would hundreds of

if we deportollars them. we'll gain hundreds of billions to the positive. promised to has deport each and every single dreamer. >> senator cruz? welcome.vening and this issue presents a stark divide between congressman o'rourke and me. i views on immigration are .imple legal, good, illegal bad. i think the vast majority of texans agree with that. when it comes to immigration, we need to do everything humanly border. to secure the a means building a wall, that means technology and that meansure and boots on the ground. we can do all of that at the are welcoming and celebrating legal grips. there's a right way to come in country. you wait in line, you follow the rules like my father did in 1957 he came from cuba, he fled oppression and he came to texas. freedom.eeking

we're a state and we're a nation built by immigrants. but it's striking that congressman o'rourke over and over again his focus steams to fighting for illegal immigrant and forgetting the americans. americans are dreamers also. granting u.s. citizenship to who are hereople illegally, i think it's a serious mistake. i think congressman o'rourke is with texas. >> representative? >> i'll tell you about being out with texas. senator cruz sponsored legislation have this country build 2000-mile wall. that wall will not be built on border betweenal united states and mexico. built on someone's farm, ranch and property using domain toof eminent take their property at a time of record security. senator cornyn and i introduced legislation that would invest in our ports of entry with a vast

andrity of everyone everything that comes into that country. knowing who and what come in makes us safer. >> representative quick follow-up for you. you've addressed the dreamers. do you think anyone undocumented a pathhere should have to citizenship? >> there are millions of people in this country who are working the toughest job. we were in roscoe at a cotton with 24 jobs. that's the story of texas and of this country. we need it bring people out of shadows, allow them to get right by law. there should be an earned path to citizenship. the alternative as senator cruz to deported is 11 million people from this country. imagine the cost, the imagine stain on our conscious going forward for the generations who look back at this moment. you.ank >> senator cruz, this question is to you.

dallas, officer black man in his own apartment. you caution representative o'rourke not to jump to conclusion. texas ranger said she committed manslaughter? >> what happened to mr. john was horrific. killedshould be shot and in their home. the officer as i understand it, a tragicnded it was mistake. it was a case she thought she was in her own apartment. now today, i don't know what happened that evening. knowessman o'rourke don't what happened. he immediately called for firing the officer. a mistake.t's we had a criminal justice system, a system this will determine what happened that night. if she violated the law and did intentionally, she'll face the consequences.

congressman o'rourke is ready to convict her. ready it fire her. it's a troublely pattern. again congressman o'rourke when faced with an issue about police and law enforcement, he sides against the police. in the united states congress he funds toinst allowing go to body armors for sheriffs. when it comes to customs he's opening to abolishing that law enforcement agency. congressmanek, o'rourke described law enforcement, describes police crow.rs as modern day jim let me say something. i have gotten to know police officers all across this state. is offensive. just today, fort worth is burying officer garrett hall with his wife and two kids who was shot in the head risking his life. here today officer brian graham was shot in the head.

is here in everyday police officers risk their lives for us. officer graham is standing there. his two kids. a bull in th -- bullet in the head to protect us. it's offensive to call police officers modern day jim crow your time. >> please audience. no applause. what senator cruz said is untrue. officers call police modern day jim crow. mourn thesenator cruz passing of officer in fort worth. my uncle raymond was a sheriff's deputy in el paso. he was the one who taught me to shoot and the responsibility and comes withity that owning a gun. he taught me what it means to everyone. to be sworn to protect everyone

in community. with the tragic shooting death, unarmed blacker man killed in this country by law enforcement. no member of law enforcement wants that to happen. no member of this community wants that to happen. do something better than what we've been doing so far. african-americans represent 13% of the population in this country. they represent one third of those who are shot by law enforcement. we have something wrong. if we have the largest prison population on the face of the planet and it is comprised of people of color, we have something wrong in this country. and democrats should be able to work together with -- law enforcements and members of community from justice reform >> quick follow-up to you senator cruz. do you agree that police unarmrd against african-americans is a problem and if so, how would you fix it? >> i believe everyone right's should be protected. regardless

ethnicity.e or i've been to too many police funerals. i was here in dallas when five police officers were gunned down of irresponsible and hateful rhetoric. funeral in houston second baptist church where the deputy was shot in the back of at a service station because of irresponsible and hateful rhetoric. congressman o'rourke repeated things aren't true. he said white police officers are shooting unarmed african-american children. the "washington post" fact concludehat claim and congressman o'rourke was wrong. that rhetoric does damage. that rhetoric divides on race. bringing people together instead of suggesting the police are risking their of us.o protect all it's profoundly irresponsible didou said something that i

not say. repeat theng to slander. this is your trick in the trade and to insight based on fear and not to speak the truth. serious issue. >> representative o'rourke. this question is for you, it's anthemhe national protest. polls show that most americans think the nfl players should be kneeling during the national anthem. havethey believe that they the right to do so. you have said there's nothing protesting forn your rights. to people whoy claim they are out of step. >> i mentioned, members of law enforcement are not sworn to serve and protect only some people. are sworn to protect and serve everyone. those service member who put their lives on the line serving

tonight in afghanistan and iraq and syria, they swear not to a of people.p they swore to support and to defend the constitution of the america.ates of the constitution for all of us. rights margers who took their lives crossing the selma,pettis bridge in alabama. who losten, those their lives to the racism of america. who tookedom riders greyhound buses in the deep south using the water fountains knowing itoice, would end up in the mississippi penitentiary. we have injustice in this country. justice of criminal systems depending on your race, and color. too many unarmed

losing-american men their lives in this country. thatacefully protest injustice. nonviolently and to call thention to that to predict consideration of this country and those in power will finally something. standing up not just for your inht but everyone's right in country. there's nothing more american than that. >> i'm going to have to ask for the audience to please refrain from reacting and applause. we need to get through a lot of questions too. senator cruz. >> congressman o'rourke gave a long soliloquy of the civil rights movement. one of the reasons i'm a republican, civil rights passed with the overwhelming support of republicans. crats were beating were democrats.

the --ud to be part of every human being is a creation of god that our constitution protects. nowhere in his answer did he the fact that when you have people during the national anthem taking a knee, refusing to stand, you're disrespecting the millions of veterans, the soldiers and sailors and airmen and marines that risk and fight and died to protect to protect our liberty. to be clear, everyone has a right to protest. you have a right to speak. can speak in a way that doesn't disrespect the flag, that doesn't disrespect the anthem and i'll tell you those civil rights protesters would be astonished the protest were manifesting flag.nke, burning >> if you heard senator cruz's

answer. tried to mislead by taking a peaceful protest during the national anthem to burning a flag. no one here, myself included, suggested anyone should be doing that. he grounded his answer in partnership. i can careless about either party at this moment. deeply divided time. this moment calls for all of us. or any other party difference or race or sexual orientation. many -- we need to come together for this country that love so much. >> we're moving on here. the next question for senator cruz. still being worked on out. dr. christine blasey ford may testify about allegations of frompted sexual assault judge kavanaugh. is there anything you can hear you changeat make your vote? >> i hope show comes forward to testify. publicly called for her to

given an opportunity to testify. raised areions she serious and they deserve to be treated with respect. i hope she comes. as a full opportunity to tell her story in a way that is respectful. think judge kavanaugh deserves to defendtunity himself and let the american people listen to what happened. will say more broadly than this, this issue whether it is kavanaugh or neil gorsuch or other supreme court nominees, massive one of the many divides on policy and substance and record between me and o'rourke.n he doesn't want judge kavanaugh confirmed. congressman o'rourke agrees with hillary clinton. he wants liberal judicial willist on the court who impose their particular policy. devoted my life defending

constitution and the bill of rights. what vision of the court do you want. i believe texans want constitutionalists on the supreme court. the firstefend amendment and defend religious liberty. who will defend the second amendment. congressman that o'rourke would insist upon like hillary clinton, our justices that are undermine and effectively write the second amendment out of the constitution. those are radical views. they're not views consistent with the overwhelming majority has a troubling history of the kinds of nominees that he supported. jeff matier. ineone who believes conversion therapy who's described transgender children as part of satan's plan. people like andrew who could not schoolther the landmark

integration brown v. board of correctly decided. dr. ford's allegation should be by the fbi. there's precedent for that. there's the right thing to do the gravity of the as accusation. judge kavanaugh does not meet the bar for texas to serve on court.reme the state that is 50th in voter turnout. has a troubling history on voter right protection. judge kavanaugh has a troubling history in agreeing that roe v. wade is the deciding law of the land. his support for civil rights is in question. we need a supreme court justice i in favor of the

people. >> representative that's your time. senator cruz. >> it's striking he didn't he supports liberal activists who would impose the policy he wants. not a judge's job to impose policy. he didn't dispute he wants justices that would undermine the second amendment. let me talk about the case heller versus district of columbia. it's a case that upheld the individual rights to keep and arms. i represented texas winning a landmark 5-4 victory to keep and bear armings. o'rourke wants justiceses who will overturn that. said noenters in heller individual, no american has any right to keep and bear arms what ever. that's a radical position. it's an extreme position. congressman o'rourke wants to see the supreme court doing. writing the second amendment out of the bill of rights. not true. >> we're moving on here.

>> of course i support the second amendment. >> in what way and what respect. supported --e you >> it's your job in the senate to decide if you're going to or not support a given nominee. not in the house >> did you endorse hillary clinton? justicepromised every she will deploy -- >> i fully support the second amendment. >> this question goes to representative o'rourke. you believe in universal background check and assault weapons ban. quinnipiac shows 45% oppose them. is texas ready for a senator who roll back gun rights? >> i think texas is ready for a senator who will defend the second amendment but also ensure we can protect the lives within lives.

both senator cruz and i we're able to visit with student who shooting at santa fe high school. students like bree who argue we should have universal background check. it makes our communities safe. that from state who 50%ted them who seen near reduction in serious gun violence. fewer boyfriends killed by their girlfriends. it is supported by most people owners,, gun republicans and democrats. listening to those who serve life onntry, put their the line like the vietnam veteran that i met in wichita who said after the parkland shooting massacre there young manhool, that was better armed in that school against defenseless children in the jungles of vietnam. when i listen to the emergency room doctors who tell me in a

handgun wound if it is treated time, will be able it save your life. a weapon designed to killing people, the high impact round an ar15 will blow a hole the size of an orange out your back. you bleed to death before anyone can get you. tot's what it was designed to do. weapons of war belong on the fatly field and not in our schools. >> all of us have been horrified seen these school shootings. santa fe high school about half hour from my house. i headed down there. i spent the entire time at santa fe high school that entire day with teachers with first responders, with parents. horrific. let me say as a fathers of two daughters there's something

that we have these shootings. there are lot of things behind it that has things to do with like removing god from the public square. moral foundation of much of our society like community andd of family. i'll tell you that afternoon, abbott and were were in a hospital visiting with the young man who was shot. asked, what's the answer to this. we kept our mouth shut and listened. one of those students they said almost word for word, gun answer.is not the they said you know what, if you take our guns you're not going to make us safer. there going to mean that killers and murderers have guns. the number one answer i heard from the students and parents and teachers is more armed toice officers in schools keep our kids safe. school safer by. >> we had a townhall meeting in

graham, texas where i met an educator tamed holly. for 29een teaching years. she understand what is goes on. advisor to the .lay target team she said from her experience in the classroom from her as a marksman, bringing a firearm in that classroom is not going to make children safer. listening to ronda hart who lost her daughter kimberly in the shooting. bringing weapons in the classrooms would not have saved her daughter's life. make us safer. thoughts and prayer will not cut it. the people of texas, the children of texas deserve action. >> hold on a second. let me be very clear. officers inolice no thoughts a prayers. will pray for anyone in harm's way. it anddo something about my first year in the senate i led the way introducing

that would provide $300 million in additional funding to harden our schools to metal detectors. unfortunately your party in the party, the democratic filibustered that legislation because they're only focus politically was trying to undermine the second amendment rights of law-abiding citizens. >> let's move on. this question is for you senator cruz. forlast time you stood election was in 2016. you were the runner-up in the forblican primary president. trump. against donald donald trump as you remember, dubbed you lying ted. your wife and at father. you in turn called him a pathological liar. there's so many insults between the two of you, it will take the rest of this show to go through them all. now that he's president, you guys have become friendly.

you respond to critics who as it relates to president trump, you lost your dignity. >> well, there's no doubt 2016 others.nelection unlike there were some hard shots thrown. my dad who's here tonight, me, knows myows father has been my hero. and my daughters, heidi is world. friend in the she is in the most beautiful worm on the face of the planet. i'm blessed from god to be married to heidi cruz. in 2016, ilection faced a choice. donald trump have been elected we had anand opportunity an opportunity to do something extraordinary. made a conscious choice to do the job by being elected to do, which is represent 28 million texans. i got a responsibility which is to fight for every person in this state. i have worked hand in hand with the president on substance.

have delivered remarkable victories. generation.cuts of we've seen 4 million new jobs trump was elected. texans lives are better. to make ite chosen about myself to be selfish and say, my feelings are hurt. take my marbles and go home. that would have been not doing elected to.s every single day in the senate forbeen my job to fight jobs and to fight for 28 million texans. that.one i will cop to -- i will continue everyday. >> representative o'rourke. >> farmers and ranchers that i meet all across this state have visited each one of the 254 of texas. they wonder where their junior senator is. warspresident enters trade tariffs.es

anchor citizens from both parties and independents alike junior senatore .s putinended vladimir instead of united states of america. that was collusion in action. youhe president attacked personally, your wife, your father, how you respond is your business. president attacks our institutions this country allows a foreign power to invade our democracy. that is our business. we fleed a u.s. senator who will stand up to this president. in thishat 242 years experiment we're a nation of not one of men. >> let me say two things. o'rourke invoked farmers and ranchers. i'm incredibly privileged to have the support of farmers and the state ands

rangers and small businesses into it. that is not good for farmers and ranchers. you know where his question ended? dependent on an attack on donald trump. the party is consumed with hatred for donald trump era that is why congressman overlook is the only dust congressman o'rourke to voting to impeach president trump. , youpresentative o'rourke have addressed your 1988 dwi arrest numerous times. during your public career. but not this question.

as the houston chronicle pointed out recently, a witness said in that accident, that you tried to leave the scene of the accident. did you come and should voters be concerned about this incident? rep. o'rourke: i did not try to leave the scene of the accident. though, driving drunk, which i did, is a terrible mistake for which there is no excuse or just -- or justification or defense. i will not try to provide one. i can only tell you that i was able to have a second chance in my life. i was able to small a -- start a small business, was able to meet amy on a blind date before nder, servedi the community, and represent 700 50,000 people from a community in the united states congress. i have made the most i could with my second chance and my opportunity. what i do know is that as a white man in this country, there is a privilege i enjoy that many african-american men and women

do not. they do not have that second chance. they are forced to check the box on an employment application form that makes it harder for them to get a job. they are ineligible for the pell grant's that would allow them to attend any institution in this area. their choices are narrowed. their options are constrained in their lives. everyone deserves a second chance. -- if myerience experience can contribute me to work with republicans and democrats alike on real and meaningful criminal justice reform, to ensure everyone is able to live to their full potential and no one's mistake to find some for the rest of their lives, that will be something good, something good in whatever meaningful way it is that has come out of that terrible decision on my part. >> that is your time, congressman. senator? sen. cruz: i don't intend to get into congressman o'rourke personal history can i will keep the focus on issues of substance

on record. he introduced legislation that would make it easier for those with drug convictions to get drivers license. real mistake.s a it is part of a pattern. there is a consistent pattern when it comes to drug use that in every single instance, congressman o'rourke supports more of it. when he was on the el paso city council, one of the leading advocates of the country for legalizing marijuana, he wrote a book about it. legalizing marijuana is a question that i think reasonable minds can differ. bente had a libertarian myself. i think colorado can decide one way. i think texas can decide another. congressman o'rourke did not stop with marijuana. he introduced and advocated for a resolution in the el paso city council calling for a national debate on legalizing all narcotics. that includes heroin, fentanyl, cocaine. that is not a reasonable issue on which people can disagree. suspect he was just calling for a debate where on a

debate stage now. i will tell you i think it would be a profound mistake to legalize all narcotics. it would hurt the children of this country. that would be a serious mistake. >> senator. that is your time. rep. o'rourke: i agree. to be clear, i don't want to legalize heroin and cocaine and the fentanyl. what i do want to ensure it is that in this country, most states have decided that marijuana will be legal at some form, for medicinal purposes, recreational purposes, or will be decriminalized. we don't have another veteran in the state prescribed an opioid because the doctor at the v.a. would rather prescribed in this and a marijuana but it -- but he is prohibited by law. another old woman with fibromyalgia who is not able to use medicinal cannabis because it is against the law. another african-american man because more likely than not, that is who will be arrested for possession of marijuana to rot behind bars instead of doing -- of enjoying his freedom.

yes, i want to end the war on drugs and want to end the prohibition on marijuana. sen. cruz: he did not dispute that nine years ago, as an elected member of the el paso city council, he introduced and advocated for energetically, debating ending the prohibition on all narcotics. he says he does not agree with that now. but that was nine years ago. when it comes to this, this is an issue that is personal to me. my older sister, miriam, died of a drug overdose. people all across the state of texas, 70,000 people a year are dying of drug overdoses in this country. we have an opioid crisis. i think talking about legalizing all narcotics, i think that is profoundly dangerous. it does not represent the interest of texas. [applause] >> that is your time. senator cruz come you get the next question for you fought for the repeal of the affordable care act. texas has the highest rate of uninsured people in the nation

can more than one million residents lined up for the federal marketplace and how do you propose addressing the health care needs of texans? sen. cruz: i believe obamacare has hurt millions of texans. it was sold to the people of this country on a promise from president obama. if you like your health insurance plan, keep it. if you like your doctor, keep it. the left-leaning organization rated that 2013 lie of the year as millions of americans have their health insurance canceled against their will. the biggest reason people are unhappy with obama care is it has made their premiums skyrocket. i hear from texans, i can't afford health insurance. president obama promised the average family premiums would drop $2500 a year. you risen over $5,000 a year. over $5,000 aisen year. when it was implemented, the most inexpensive plan for a 30-year-old healthy man in the dallas area was $363 a year. today, in this zip code, where all of us are now, a bronze plan

for a 30-year-old healthy man is over plan0 a year, is is over $4400 a year. that is going from $363 in a few years, increasing over tenfold. that is not right. what do we need to do? lower premiums for everyone at how do we do that? pre-existing conditions. everyone agrees we will protect pre-existing conditions. but we also need more choices, more competition, more option so prices drop, so young people coming out of smu are coming out of schools across this country, can afford health insurance instead of facing the disaster that obamacare has done. >> that's your time. representative? rep. o'rourke: i don't know how you will repeal every single word of the affordable care act and key protections for pre-existing conditions. keep protections for victor, a son of our new friend laura lehman, who we met. victor has cerebral palsy. uncontrolled seizures. he is -- has incredibly -- he is

incredibly expensive to keep alive. his life is worth just as much as anyone in this country. i want to make sure we keep this pre-existing condition protections for victor. i want to make sure we improve the affordable care act. to never meet a young man like joey and laredo, 29 years old, has diabetes, now has glaucoma, doesn't have health care. the one time he did see a doctor, the doctor said you will be dead before you are the age of 40. as he gets closer to death and takes himself to the emergency rooms, the outcomes will not be as good as they would have been otherwise if we invested up front. the care will he disproportionately more expensive. we expandbe sure that medicaid. the state left $100 billion on the table that could have provided care for people in the community. introduced medicare as an option on exchanges and get to universal guaranteed high-quality health care for every child, every woman, every man in the state and every state in the union.

>> that is your target senator cruz. sen. cruz: it is striking that he didn't have a word to say to the millions of texans of -- everyone of us agrees pre-existing conditions must be protected. indeed, when we were debating obamacare, i introduced legislation that would protect pre-existing conditions but the health and human services agency ran the numbers and found the consumer pre--- freedom amendment, allowing people to get the health insurance you want, wouldn't do -- reduce annual premiums by $5,000 a year. we have to lower premium spirit votedssman o'rourke has 67 times to keep obamacare. he has not been there to fix the people who are forced into part-time jobs. is socialized medicine and it socialized medicine is a mistake. it would hurt the people. >> our next question is about trade. this goes to representative o'rourke. both of you have expressed concerns and tariffs and their

income -- and their impact to what could you realistically do to rein in president trump on trade? why should voters believe you would be more successful getting him to change course than senator cruz who actually has a working relationship with him? understand the impacts of this for us -- of this firsthand in el paso, where we are raising our children. of every four jobs is connected to u.s.-mexico trade in our community. i understand it from listening to the people of texas. i have shown up to every county in the state. listening to pecan grower who has seen the tariffs on his pecans go from 7% to 47% or no one is buying his pecans around the world. these trade wars might end, these tariffs might come down, those purchasers and those other countries will find other countries from whom to buy. his formal no longer be sustainable anymore. when has this country ever gone to war without allies? that is what we are doing by letting $200 billion in tariffs

against china and alienating the eu and canada and our traditional trading partners. the state, with its farming and ranching and producing and manufacturing and export-based economy, needs a senator who will work with the president where we can. and stand up to him where we must. i met with the president and secretary of commerce wilbur ross, i met with his united states trade representative lighthizer, this is the case i made to them. not only does this state depend on trade and we must protect those trading relationships we have, but if we are to improve nafta, our relationship with mexico, let's ensure those mexican workers have the ability to organize, to demand higher wages which will make the united states worker more competitive. the draft i have seen so far of this latest agreement, that is included within it. it shows i am able to stand up to the president where it counts and able to work with him where it will do the most good.

>> that's your time. senator cruz. goodcruz: free trade is for texas farmers, ranchers, business is. i have made the case to president trump directly and personally, dozens of times that we should be expanding our access to foreign markets, opening up the mexican markets. if you look at the eu, it was interesting congressman o'rourke reference the eu. we have seen breakthroughs in trade with the eu that the european union is talking about sitting down with america and looking at zero tariffs. lowering their tariffs. i thought it was interesting congressman o'rourke brought up the con farmers. i have made the case directly to the administration that they should work on india to lower their tariffs on becomes so we can export to india. the difference is i have made that case repeatedly to the president over and over again. i have worked hand-in-hand with the president on policy wins for the people of texas. anderson o'rourke has -- congressman o'rourke has never spoken to the president other

than call for his impeachment. that doesn't suggest a relationship when you are wingng the extreme left wanting to impeach the president and attack the president. that is not setting you up to have victories for the people of texas. >> representative. rep. o'rourke: i will work with anyone, anytime, anywhere, and that includes the president of the united states. i've worked with republican colleagues to expand access to mental health care. there were half a million veterans who have put their lives on the line for the country who by law, because of the status of their discharge, were unable to see the psychologist who would save their lives. i was able to bury the differences between myself and a republican colleague who had a similar proposal. we got it passed in the house. there was a similar bill passed in the senate, signed into law by president trump. it is saving lives of veterans in the state and throughout the country. whether it is veterans service -- veterans, service members, americans, i will stand up for everyone. and work with anyone, including the president, to make sure we do better for this country.

this questionz, is about texas values could you campaigned on a fact that you represent texas's values. if you look at the polls, it is a closely contested race. congressman o'rourke has a lot of support in texas pyd represent texas values? sen. cruz: six years ago when i ran for senate, i promised the people of texas i would fight every day for lower taxes, lower regulations, and more jobs. and wouldld fight, fight to defend the constitution of texas and i have kept that promise. that is what i have done every day in the senate for the last six years. you are right. we have a real race in the state of texas. the hard left is energized, angry, many of them are filled with hatred. we are seeing tens of millions of dollars flowing from all over the country to congressman o'rourke's campaign.

as he takes extreme left-wing positions, positions further to the left of elizabeth warren or bernie sanders, he gets millions of dollars. for example, congressman o'rourke has said he is "open to abolishing ice." abolishing the immigration customs and enforcement agency. his words. nancy pelosi has never said that. congressman o'rourke has said he would vote now today to impeach president trumpcare right now here today. bernie sanders never said that. positionsn o'rourke's are out of step with the people of texas. i think the people of texas, what they want -- 1000 people a day come to texas. we understand low taxes and the regulations produced jobs. what i hear from texans across the state is they say, whether they supported me or not, democrats will say, i did not vote for you, but you are doing what you said you would do. that is exactly what i have done. that is what i will continue doing. [applause] >> representative o'rourke, texas values. rep. o'rourke: only one of us

has been to each county in texas and would have an idea of what texas values are. [applause] within months of being sworn to service, your senator ted cruz was not in texas. he was in iowa. he visited every single one of the 99 counties of iowa. he went to the republican presidential primary states instead of being here. he shut down your government. for 16 days in 2013. too many people were getting too much health care in the united states of america. in 2015, he missed one quarter of the votes in the ninth -- in the united states senate. in 2006 income he missed half of the votes in the united states senate. tell me who can miss half the days at work and be rehired for the same job going forward? that is not what texans want. they don't want somebody who was captured by corporations and political action committees because that is where ted cruz

gets his money. our campaign is the largest grassroots campaign the state has ever seen, funded by people and only people. every single one of the counties of texas, every single day. [applause] >> that is your time. senator. sen. cruz: congressman o'rourke does not seem to understand that representing texas is not doing a photo op in each county in texas with reporters in tow. [applause] sen. cruz: it is actually standing up and fighting for the people of texas. in the years i have represented texas, i have been on the ground. in west texas when the explosion happened, i was on the ground with the families of the first responders killed. when hurricane harvey hit the state come i was on the ground and my home state -- and my hometown and in victoria, rockport, and roof rail, beaumont, port arthur, not once, not twice, but 3, 4, 5 times on the ground with the able of texas. when sutherland springs saw the worst church shooting in the

history of this country, i was on the ground, representing texas is being there for texans. and also spinning up and fighting for texans. not george soros, not big liberal interest -- >> that is your time. [applause] >> the next question goes to representative o'rourke. the texas business community supported the tax overhaul you voted against last year. how can you effectively represent that import -- of the that important constituency when you have a fundamental disagreement? rep. o'rourke: generations from now, people looking back at this moment will not be able to believe a country, $21 trillion in debt, with the greatest levels of income disparity that we have seen since the last gilded age more than 100 years in tax breaks,n that disproportionately flow to corporations that are already sitting on record piles of cash and the already wealthy in this byntry, a tax bill written the lobbyist for those very

corporations, and in one draft, in the margins, written by those lobbyists, so their corporate bosses could see the text before the senators could vote. in the days before and after senator cruz voted for this massive giveaway to the already he receive 120 thousand dollars from the political action committees that represent those who benefited from these tax breaks. i believe not in investing in corporations and in special interest. i believe in investing in people, in universal pre-cape where everyone has the same starting line in life. care, for every texan and american so they are well enough to be their best. the ability to attend community college or as a music you can better yourself and do better for everyone else in your life, community, and in this country. i believe in investing in broadband internet and the 50% of rural texas i cannot get online. i believe in investing in -- >> that's your time. rep. o'rourke: not in special

interest and local action committee. sen. cruz: there is a consistency in congressman o'rourke record. over and over, he supports higher taxes. and he was on the el paso city council, heat -- he voted to increase property taxes. he voted in the -- in favor of a rain tax. i guess attacks on rain? i'm not sure. he voted in patent -- in favor of a pool tax. he has voted in favor of the death tax. he voted against the tax cut. this tax cut has cut taxes on americans all across texas and double the child tax credit. if you are a parent, it doubled it from $1000 a child to $2000 a child. that is real money. that is refundable and in your pocket or yes, his answers he doesn't want to cut taxes to you once to raise your taxes. understand what beto o'rourke is promising you. if he is elected, he will fight to raise your taxes. that is not consistent with what the people of texas want. >> representative. rep. o'rourke: those six years

of the city council, every year, we balanced the budget. we did not see each other as republicans or democrats. we saw each other as el paso's with a common interest. only one of us on this stage has started and run a small business p had to meet payroll every single week. had to go before the bank and try to get a loan to expand the business had had to hustle for new customers and make sure that we kept those who we already had happy going forward. that required balancing a budget and understanding how to make en ds meet. i want to make sure we are not giving way to corporations. that is what senator cruz would do. thanks to the contributions he has received from those political action committees. he is working for the claim down. in the special interest in he is not working for the people of texas. >> that is your time kid we are on our final question. this went quickly. this goes to representative old --o'rourke. we want to end this on a

positive note or we want to ask you to tell us something you admire about your opponent. [laughter] senator cruz and i were elected to the united states congress and the same year, 2012 we both have young children. i knowhow hard he works, how much time he has spent away from his kids. i know what a sacrifice that is to his family. i know he is doing it for one reason. he wants to serve this country. he is trying to do his best to win may have differences of opinions on what our destination might be and how we will get there, but i have no question that senator cruz wants to do the best for america. he does so at great sacrifice to his family and his kids. i thank you, senator cruz, for your public service. sen. cruz: thank you. i agree with those sentiments. i would express the very same sentiments back at congressman .'rourke being a dad again kids is hard. i know the sacrifice you are putting in. my girls, everyday, it is hard. there are a lot of tears and the

cruise household. i am sure there is in the o'rourke too. let me say beyond that, i think congressman o'rourke is passionate, energetic. he believes in what he is fighting for. -- i did three debates at the bernie sanders. bernie sanders believes in what he is fighting for. he believes in socialism. i think when he is fighting for doesn't work, but i think you are sincere like bernie, you believe in expanding government and higher taxes. i commend you for fighting for what you believe. butisagree on the outcome, you are fighting for the principles you believe in and i respect that. rep. o'rourke: true to form. [laughter] before we bring the debate to a close, each candidate will have a 92nd -- 90 seconds for the close. let's start with you, senator cruz. sen. cruz: in november, there

will be a lot of things on the ballot. both congressman o'rourke and i will be on the ballot. but there will be more than that. jobs will be on the ballot. we have seen in the last two years, 4 million new jobs all across this country. paychecks will be on the ballots. seen texas employers like american airlines, southwest airlines, at&t, giving bonuses and pay raises. your 401(k) and your savings will be on the ballot. as we have seen, the pensions of millions of texans going up. simplenderstands a very formula. when you cut taxes, when you simplify the tax code, when you lift the burden on small business, it is good for texas. it expands jobs. it expands opportunity. there is a fundamental choice in this election. a choice between we are seeing nationally, socialists. like bernie sanders, and indeed, congressman beto o'rourke

advocating for those same policies. full on socialized medicine which by the way, they called all.are for medicare, you paid into it your whole life. you are counting on it for your health care what they are proposing is putting every single person in this country including illegal aliens, everyone in this country in the medicare without paying for it. that would bankrupt medicare. there is a choice for this country. there are also states that implement the policies congressman o'rourke supported high taxes, high regulations, open borders, you look at california. which is hemorrhaging population. willost of a one way you from california to texas is more than 300% the cost the other way around. understand that if you get government off the backs of small businesses, texans do well. i've fought for that for six years. i have kept my promise.

and i will always stand and fight for 28 million texans. >> that is your time to thank you. [applause] rep. o'rourke: let me again nbc five,hanking smu, dallas morning news, for making this possible tonight. let me thank everyone here and everyone watching now, who has invited me to your communities, who has invited me into your homes, invited me into your lives come into your hopes and dreams, and the very high expectations that we are together setting right now for this country. in this deeply divided, highly polarized moment, you have reminded me that the -- before we are republicans or democrats or independents, we are texans, we are americans, human beings. we will start acting that way. president harry truman reminded us that this country was not founded on fear. instead, we are founded on courage. on imagination.

tounstoppable determination do the job at hand. i have never heard a bit -- a better description than that one for the people of texas i met in each of the 254 county. we are not -- counties p we running against anyone. we are not running against another political party. we for this country. why and for each and every single one of us. we will use the challenges we face, the least insured state in the country, the number one provider of mental health care county jailthe system, ensuring everyone as well enough to live to the full potential, a state where 50% of the teachers are working a second or third job estimate ends meet instead of being able to focus on children before them, we will lead the way and having their backs and making sure we don't privatize public education money and ascended to a private school p whatever the challenge, i know we are up to the task. i want to thank you for inspiring me, giving me

confidence, encouraging me like no time in my life. i'm grateful. thank you. representative. that concludes tonight's senate debate. we want to thank our audience, debaters, and smu. >> the last day to register to vote is october 9. voting is october 22, november >> -- thank you and good night. [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2017] [captioning performed by the national captioning institute, which is responsible for its caption content and accuracy. visit ncicap.org] announcer: with the control of congress in question, see the competition for yourself on c-span. watch the debates from key house and senate races. make c-span your primary source for campaign 2018. and in about one hour, c-span's campaign 2018 coverage continues with the illinois governor's debate. faces of bruce walder aquatic challenger. nominee.rvative party

tonight at 9:00 eastern on c-span two. laughter that, e-house debate for virginia's 10th congressional district between barbara comstock and challenger jennifer waxed and. the district includes parts of the d.c. sub rosa and in virginia. we will have that tonight on c-span two. sunday night on afterwards. former secretary of state john kerry discusses his book, "every day is extra." he is interviewed by the ceo of center.son >> we did not know each other very well, that we were seated opposite each other by seniority. but it worked, and brought us together and we had a conversation into the night, talking about annapolis and his father and grandparents, his family, his own service and his time as a prisoner.

he wanted to learn more about what happened with us, what it was like and so forth. we pledged to each other right would --t the country we thought we needed to find a way to not just make peace with vietnam, but make peace at home, because the country was divided over the war. announcer: watch this tonight at 9:00 on c-span 2's book tv -- on sunday night at 9:00. support of broad cavanagh's supreme court nomination. and, former congresswoman michele bachmann. on newsmakers, charlie kelly. select amongrts to democrats to congress. on the communicators, a discussion on tech industry monopoes