we had conversations into the night talking about an annapolis, his family and his time as a prisoner. he wanted to learn more about us. we pledged to each other right then that the country was still too divided over the war. we felt we needed to make peace peace atnam, but make home. >> in november, texas senator ted cruz is a four reelection. tonight, the candidates met for the first of three televised debate. this one take -- took place in dallas. it is an hour.

>> 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 texas bright red. >> tonight, senator ted cruz and congressman beto o'rourke face off. >> in the past year and a half we've been delivering real results. >> from the dallas morning news and smu, live from the smu campus in dallas. >> welcome to the first texas senate debate i'm from nbc 5.

>> here are the rules for tonight's 60 minute debate. once 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 another 30 seconds for rebuttal. >> we ask the audience not to applaud and respond during the debate.

>> that it for now, we welcome the candidates. republican incumbent ted cruz. representative beto o'rourke. >> with that gentlemen, let's begin. congress o'rourke you drew the first question. we're going to start with you. you said last week representative a you want citizenship for dreamers today. yet others would apply to come to america continue to wait. senator cruz said he doesn't support path to citizenship for dreamers which means they can be sent back to a country they've never known. who's right representative? >> let me say thank you to nbc 5 to the dallas morning news to smu and the people of dallas for having us here tonight. thank senator ted cruz for participating in this. i'm looking forward to the discussion. my wife, 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. there are nearly 200,000 in the state of texas. everyone there was concerned about his welfare. they're concerned about the fact that he just been sent back to a country who's language he didn't speak or no longer had family connections if he was successful against those long odds he'd be successful there and not here for texas. there's no better people tan those of us here in this state, republicans and democrats and independents. defining immigrant experience to rewrite our immigration laws in our own image. to ensure that we begin by freeing dreamers from the fear of deportation by making them u.s. citizens so they can contribute to their full potential to the success not just of themselves and their families but to this country. the economist who studied it said we are would hundreds of billions of dollars if we deport them. we'll gain hundreds of billions to the positive. senator cruz has promised to deport each and every single dreamer. >> senator cruz? >> good evening and welcome. this issue presents a stark

divide between congressman o'rourke and me. i views on immigration are simple. 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 possible to secure the border. a means building a wall, that means technology and infrastructure and that means boots on the ground. we can do all of that at the same time a we are welcoming and celebrating legal grips. there's a right way to come in this country. you wait in line, you follow the rules like my father did in 1957 when he came from cuba, he fled oppression and he came to texas. he came seeking freedom. 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

be on fighting for illegal immigrant and forgetting the million of americans. americans are dreamers also. granting u.s. citizenship to 12 million people who are here illegally, i think it's a serious mistake. i think congressman o'rourke is out of step with texas. >> representative? >> i'll tell you about being out of step with texas. senator cruz sponsored legislation have this country build 2000-mile wall. that wall will not be built on the international border between united states and mexico. it will be built on someone's farm, ranch and property using the power of eminent domain to 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 majority of everyone and everything that comes into that

country. knowing who and what come in here makes us safer. >> representative quick follow-up for you. you've addressed the dreamers. do you think anyone undocumented living here should have a path to citizenship? >> there are millions of people in this country who are working the toughest job. we were in roscoe at a cotton gin with 24 jobs. that's the story of texas and of this country. we need it bring people out of the shadows, allow them to get right by law. there should be an earned path to citizenship. the alternative as senator cruz has proposed is to deport 11 million people from this country. imagine the cost, the imagine the stain on our conscious going forward for the generations who look back at this moment. >> thank you. >> senator cruz, this question is to you. this month in dallas, officer amber shot a black man in his own apartment. why did you caution representative o'rourke not to jump to conclusion. when the texas ranger said she committed manslaughter? >> what happened to mr. john was

horrific. nobody should be shot and killed in their home. the officer as i understand it, has contended it was a tragic mistake. it was a case she thought she was in her own apartment. right now today, i don't know what happened that evening. congressman o'rourke don't know what happened. he immediately called for firing the officer. i think that's a mistake. we had a criminal justice system, a system this will determine what happened that night. if she violated the law and did that intentionally, she'll face the consequences. congressman o'rourke is ready to convict her. ready to fire her. it's a troubling pattern. over and over 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 voted against allowing funds to go to body armors for sheriffs. when it comes to customs enforcement, he's opening to abolishing that law enforcement

agency. just this week, congressman o'rourke described law enforcement, describes police officers as modern day jim crow. let me say something. i have gotten to know police officers all across this state. that 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. he is here in everyday police officers risk their lives for us. officer graham is standing there. his two kids. he took a bull in -- bullet in the head to protect us. it's offensive to call police officers modern day jim crow >> that's your time. >> please audience. no applause.

what senator cruz said is untrue. i did not call police officers modern day jim crow. i, as well senator cruz mourn the 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 accountability that comes with owning a gun. he taught me what it means to serve everyone. to be sworn to protect everyone in community. with the tragic shooting death, you have another unarmed black 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. we got to 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. republicans and democrats should be able to work together with law enforcements and members of community from criminal justice reform >> quick follow-up to you senator cruz. do you agree that police violence against unarmed african-americans is a problem and if so, how would you fix it? >> i believe everyone right's should be protected. regardless of your race or ethnicity. i've been to too many police funerals. i was here in dallas when five police officers were gunned down because of irresponsible and hateful rhetoric. i was at the funeral in houston second baptist church where the deputy was shot in the back of

the head 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 checked that claim and conclude congressman o'rourke was wrong. that rhetoric does damage. that rhetoric divides on race. we should be bringing people together instead of suggesting the police are risking their lives to protect all of us. i think it's profoundly irresponsible >> you said something that i did not say. i'm not going to repeat the slander. this is your trick in the trade to confuse and to insight based on fear and not to speak the truth. this is a serious issue. >> representative o'rourke. this question is for you, it's about the national anthem protest. polls show that most americans

don't think the nfl players should be kneeling during the national anthem. even they believe that they have the right to do so. you have said there's nothing more american in protesting for your rights. what do you say to people who claim they are out of step. >> i mentioned, members of law enforcement are not sworn to serve and protect only some people. they 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 man or group of people. they swore to support and to defend the constitution of the united states of america. the constitution for all of us. the civil rights marchers who took their lives crossing the edmund pettis bridge in selma, alabama.

some beaten, those who lost their lives to the racism of america. those freedom riders who took greyhound buses in the deep south using the water fountains of their choice, knowing it would end up in the mississippi state penitentiary. we have injustice in this country. two sets of criminal justice systems depending on your race, ethnicity and color. too many unarmed african-american men losing their lives in this country. to peacefully protest that injustice. nonviolently and to call attention to that to predict the consideration of this country and those in power will finally do something. standing up not just for your right, but everyone's right in in country. there's nothing more american than that.

>> i'm going to have to ask again for the audience to please refrain from reacting and applause. we need to get through a lot of questions here. senator cruz. >> congressman o'rourke gave a long soliloquy of the civil rights movement. one of the reasons i'm a republican, civil rights legislation was passed with the overwhelming support of republicans. the dixie crats were beating those protesters were democrats. i'm proud to be part of the party of lincoln, a party that stands for the rights of everyone, every human being is a creation of god that our constitution protects. nowhere in his answer did he address 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 millions of soldiers and sailors and airmen and marines that risk and fight and died to

protect that flag and to protect our liberty. to be clear, everyone has a right to protest. you have a right to speak. you can speak in a way that doesn't disrespect the flag, that doesn't disrespect the national anthem and i'll tell you those civil rights protesters would be astonished if the protest were manifesting and burning the flag. you heard senator cruz's answer. they again 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 partisanship, talking about the gop being better. i could care less about either party at this moment.

it is deeply divided time. this moment calls for all of us. regardless of party or any other difference or race or sexual orientation. how many durations -- here,tions you have been we need to come together for this country that we love so much. >> we're moving on here. the next question for senator cruz. details are still being worked on out. dr. christine blasey ford may testify about allegations of attempted sexual assault from judge kavanaugh. is there anything you can hear from her that make you change your vote? >> i hope show comes forward to testify. i publicly called for her to given an opportunity to testify. the allegations she raised are 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. i think judge kavanaugh deserves full opportunity to defend himself and let the american people listen to what happened. i will say more broadly than this, this issue whether it is judge kavanaugh or neil gorsuch

or other supreme court nominees, reflects one of the many massive divides on policy and substance and record between me and congressman o'rourke. he doesn't want judge kavanaugh confirmed. congressman o'rourke agrees with hillary clinton. he wants liberal judicial activists on the court who will impose their particular policy. i have devoted my life defending the constitution and the bill of rights. what vision of the court do you want. i believe texans want constitutionalists on the supreme court who will defend the first amendment and defend religious liberty. who will defend the second amendment.

the justices that congressman 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 >> the senator has a troubling history of the kinds of nominees that he supported. someone like jeff matier. someone who believes in conversion therapy, who's described transgender children as part of satan's plan. people like andrew who could not say whether the landmark school integration brown v. board of education was correctly decided. brent talley who has never tried a case before. dr. ford's allegation should be investigated by the fbi. there's precedent for that. that is the right thing to do given the gravity of the accusation, but the senator is , judge kavanaugh does not

meet the bar for texas to serve on the supreme court. the state that is 50th in voter turnout. judge kavanaugh 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 who will decide in favor of the people. >> representative that's your time. senator cruz. >> it's striking he didn't dispute that he supports liberal activists who would impose the policy he wants. it's 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 is a landmark case that upheld the

individual rights to keep and bear arms. i represented texas winning a landmark 5-4 victory to keep and bear arms. congressman o'rourke wants justices who will overturn that. the dissenters in heller said no individual, no american has any right to keep and bear arms what -- whatsoever. that's a radical position. it's an extreme position. that's what congressman o'rourke wants to see the supreme court doing. writing the second amendment out of the bill of rights. >> that's not true. >> we're moving on here. >> of course, i support the second amendment. >> in what way and what respect? name one judge you ever supported who would actually -- >> it's your job in the senate to decide if you're going to support or not support a given nominee. not in the house. >> did you endorse hillary clinton?

hillary promised every justice she will deploy -- >> i fully support the second amendment. >> this question goes to representative o'rourke. you believe in universal background you believe in an assault weapons ban in a very gun friendly state. --oll shows half of texans is texas ready for a senator that wants to roll back on wright's? texas isan o'rourke: referred to senator that will defend the second amendment and ensure that we protect the lives within our lives. both senator cruz and i were able to visit with students that survived the shooting at santa fe high school, to meet with some of the parents there. thattudents like debris argued we should have universal background checks. it makes our communities and states demonstrably safer.

fewer gun crimes committed against law enforcement, fewer boyfriends killed by their girlfriends, girlfriends killed by their boyfriends. it is supported by most people in texas, gun owners and non-gun owners alike. to those of service country put their life on the line like the vietnam veteran i met in wichita falls that said shortly after the park when shooting massacre, that young man was better armed in that school against defenseless children then he was in the jungles of vietnam. when i was to emergency room doctors that tell me that a handgun wound is treated in time and doesn't hit a major artery will be able to save your life. but a weapon designed for the express purpose of killing people as effectively and efficiently as possible, the high-impact and high velocity round. bleed to death before anyone can get to you and that is exactly what it was designed to do.

weapons of war belong on the battlefield, not in our schools, concerts, or public life. moderator: all of us -- senator cruz: all of us have been horrified. santa fe high school is half an hour from my house. i jumped in a truck and headed down there. withnt the entire time teachers, first responders, parents. it is where it's at. -- it is or if it. horrific. it has nothing to do with guns and everything to do with removing god from the public square. losing the bind of community and family. that afternoon, governor abbott and i were visiting with a young man that was shot and does another students in that room.

what is the answer to this? every one of those students that had just been in that shooting, they say gun control control is not the answer. if you take our guns, you're not going to make us any safer. you will just leave the killers and murderers with guns. what do we do? rangers and small the number one answer is -- the number one answer is more armed officers. moderator: representative? congressman o'rourke: we had a town hall meeting where i met an educator who has been teaching for 29 years. she understands what goes on in schools and in the classroom. she is also the advisor to the clay target scene, maybe the best marksman of anyone here. said from her experience in the classroom, bringing a firearm into that classroom is

not going to make those children safer. listening to rhonda who lost her daughter, she tells me bringing weapons into those classrooms would not have saved her daughter's life or make us safer. thoughts and prayers are not going to cut it anymore. the people of texas and the children of texas deserve action. senator cruz: more armed police officers is not thoughts and prayers. i'm sorry you don't like thoughts and prayers. i will pray for anyone but i will do something about it. i led the way in reducing legislation that would have provided $300 million in additional funding for school safety to put metal detectors and have more police officers. your party in the senate filibustered that legislation focus wasey're only trying to undermine the second amendment rights of law-abiding citizens. moderator: let's move on.

>> the last time used of for election was in 2016, the runner-up in a republican primary for president. you ran against businessman donald trump. donald trump called you lyin' t ed. at your wife and daughter. there were so many insults between the two of you that it would take the rest of this show to go through the mall. friendly.ecome how do you respond to critics who say that, as it relates to president trump, you have lost your dignity? there is no doubt 2016 was an election unlike any others. there were hard shots thrown. everyone knows my father has been my hero every day of my life heidi and my daughters, anyone who knows me knows that

heidi is my best friend in the world. she's the most beautiful woman on the face of the planet and i am blessed from groton -- from god to be married to heidi cruise. -- cruz. after the election in 2016, i faced a choice. donald trump had been elected president and we had the opportunity to do something extraordinary. i made the choice to represent 28 million texans. i have a responsibility to fight for every person in this state. i have worked hand-in-hand with the president on substance and we have deliver the biggest tax cut of a generation. we are seeing record low unemployment. it texan lives are better. make ithave chosen to about myself and be selfish and say my feelings are hurt, so i will take my marbles and go home but i think that would have been

not doing the job i was elected to. and every single day in the senate, it has been my job to fight for jobs, jobs, jobs, and for 28 million texans. if the people of texans reelect me, i will continue to fight for jobs and economic opportunity. moderator: representative o'rourke. congressman o'rourke: as a visit each one of the 254 counties in texas, they wonder where their junior senator is. tariffs and will -- they wonder where our junior senator is when you have a president who may or may not have tried to collude with russia. but to quote conservative as heist george will, defended vladimir putin instead of the united states of america, that was collusion in action. if the president attacked you personally, your wife, your

father, how you respond is your business. but when the president attacks our institution, that is our business. we need a u.s. senator that will stand up to this president when we must and work with him where we can. in this audacious experiment, we are a nation of laws and not one of men. -- senator o'rourke: cruz: congressman o'rourke invoked farmers and ranchers. i am privileged to have the support of the texas farm bureau that hasn't endorsed my reelection because i've been fighting for farmers and ranchers for six straight years. is on policy, he dramatically out of touch with farmers and rangers. he supports president obama's --ers of the united states he voted in favor of the death tax. that is not good for farmers and ranchers.

you know where his question and it? on an attack on donald trump. the modern democratic party is consumed with hatred for donald trump. o'rourkehy congressman is committed to impeach president trump. moderator: representative o'rourke. dwihave addressed your 1998 arrest numerous times during a 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? should voters be concerned about this incident? senator cruz: i did not try to leave the scene of the accident. drunk, which i did, is a terrible mistake for which there is no excuse, 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. a smallle to start business with good friends in el paso. i was able to meet amy on a blind date of fort -- before tinder. 750,000 from my 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 grants that would allow them to attend smu, tcu, or any institution in this area. their choices are narrowed. their options are constrained in their lives. everyone deserves a second chance. if my experience can contribute

to an understanding that allows 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 -- confines them for the rest of their lives. that will be something good in whatever meaningful way it is that came out of that terrible decision on my part. i don'tman o'rourke: intend -- senator cruz: i don't intend to get into commerce and personal history but i will keep the focus on issuest 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. i think that is a real mistake. 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.

i have had a libertarian bent myself. it ought to be up to the states. 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. i suspect he was just calling for a debate on it. we are 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. rep. o'rourke: i agree. to be clear, i don't want to legalize heroin and cocaine and 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 prescribe medicinal marijuana but is prohibited live -- by law from doing it. 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. and the opportunity to contribute to the greatness of this country. 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. moderator: that is your time. senator cruz, you get the next question. 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 signed up for the federal marketplace and how do senator cruz, you get the next question. you propose addressing the health care needs of texans? senator 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. politifact,t, -- 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. in fact, they have risen over $5,000 a year. when obama care 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 about $3000 a year. a silver plan 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 -- everyone. how do we do that? protect 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, . -- 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. has uncontrolled seizures. -- is incredibly incredibly expensive to keep -- 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 and stabilize 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. i want to be sure that we expand medicaid. the state left $100 billion on the table that could have provided care for people in the community. introduce 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. moderator: that is your time. senator cruz: it is striking that he didn't have a word to say to the millions of texans of -- whose premiums have skyrocket. he talked about 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 freedom amendment,

allowing people to get the health insurance you want, would reduce annual premiums by $5,000 a year. we have to lower premium spirit -- premiums. congressman o'rourke has voted 67 times to keep obamacare. he has not been there to fix the people who are forced into part-time jobs. instead, his answer is socialized medicine and it is a mistake. it would hurt the people. moderator: our next question is about trade. this goes to representative o'rourke. both of you have expressed concerns and tariffs and their impact to what could you -- impact in texas. 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? senator cruz: -- congressman o'rourke: understand the impacts of this firsthand in el paso, where we are raising our children. one out 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. he said 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 farm will 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. this 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 -- president's secretary of commerce, wilbur ross.

i met with his united states trade representative lighthizer, and 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. moderator: that's your time. senator cruz. senator cruz: free trade is good for texas farmers, ranchers, businesses. 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. expanding access to canada. 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 pecans so we can export to india. differences, -- 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. congressman o'rourke has never spoken to the president other than call for his impeachment. that doesn't suggest a relationship in the state of texas. when you are leading the extreme left wing wanting to impeach the president and attack the president. that is not setting you up to have victories for the people of texas. moderator: representative? congressman 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, unable to go to the v.a. and cd 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 members, americans, i will stand up for everyone. and work with anyone, including the president, to make sure we do better for this country. moderator: senator cruz, this question is about texas values . 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. why do you represent texas values and mr. o'rourke does not? senator 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. that i would fight to secure the border. that i would 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. for president trump. we are seeing tens of millions of dollars flowing from all over the country to congressman o'rourke's campaign. and the reason is simple. 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 trump. right now here today.

bernie sanders never said that. congressman o'rourke's positions 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 low regulations produce 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. moderator: representative o'rourke, texas values. congressman o'rourke: only one of us has been to each county in texas and would have an idea of what texas values are. 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 new hampshire, south carolina. 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 united states senate. in 2016, 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 and special interests. that is where ted cruz gets his money. 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. moderator: congressman, that is your time. congressman o'rourke: -- senator 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. it is actually standing up and fighting for the people of texas.

in the years i have represented six 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 in my hometown of houston. also in victoria, rockport, and porter aransas, beaumont, port arthur, not once, not twice, but 3, 4, 5 times on the ground with the able of texas. -- people 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 actually standing up and fighting for texans. not george soros, not big liberal interests, but the values of the people of texas. moderator: and 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 important constituency when you have a fundamental disagreement? congressman 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 ago, $2 would find the solution to the problem, $2 trillion in tax breaks, that disproportionately flow to corporations that are already sitting on record piles of cash and the already wealthy in this country. a tax bill written by 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 wealthy, he received more than $120,000 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. wealthy, he received more i believe in investing in people. in universal pre-k where everyone has the same starting line in life. in health care, for every texan and american so they are well enough to be their best. the ability to attend community smuege or as a new so -- or so 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 people, not corporations, special interests, and political action committees. senator 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, he voted to increase taxes and el paso. he voted in favor of a rain tax. i don't know what that is. a tax on rain?

i'm not sure. he voted 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 picket -- pocket. is, he doesn't want to cut taxes to you once to raise your taxes. -- to you, he wants 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. congressman 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 . 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 ends meet. i want to make sure we are not giving way to corporations. that is what senator cruz would 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 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] rep. o'rourke: senator cruz and i were elected to the united states congress and the same year, 2012 we both have young children. i know how hard he works, i know 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 i know what a sacrifice that is -- we 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 o'rourke. being a that of young -- being a father of young 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. that is the single hardest part of doing this. let me say beyond that, i think congressman o'rourke is passionate, energetic. he believes in what he is fighting for. very much the same sentiments. last year, i did three debates at the bernie sanders. bernie sanders believes in what he is fighting for. he believes in socialism. i think what 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. we disagree on the outcome, but 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 90 seconds for the close. -- for the closing statement. 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. we have 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. texas understands a very simple 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 medicare for all. 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. haulcost of a one-way u- from california to texas is more than 300% the cost the other way around. in texas, we 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 -- senator, thank you. [applause] rep. o'rourke: let me again begin by thanking smu, nbc five, 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, 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 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. an unstoppable determination to do the job at hand. i have never heard a better description than that one for the people of texas i met in each of the 254 counties. we are not running against anyone. we are not running against another political party. we are running 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 services of the county jail system, ensuring everyone as -- is well enough to live to the full potential, a state where 50% of the teachers are working a second or third job estimate -- just to make 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 send it to a private school. 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. >> thank you, representative. that concludes tonight's senate debate. we want to thank our audience, our candidates, and smu. >> the last day to register to register to vote is october 9. from november 22nd -- to november 5. >> thank you and good night. >> to the competition for

yourself on c-span. watch the debate from key house and senate races. make c-span or primary source for campaign 2018. c-span? washington journal, live every day with news and policy issues that impact you. coming up saturday morning, league of conservation voters come up president chris pinky -- president karpinski will be on. actor dean king will join us to tell us what it is like being a term supporter in hollywood. be sure to watch c-span's washington journal saturday morning. join the discussion. saturday, to retiring members , republican senator

bob corker of tennessee and democratic congresswoman niki tsongas of massachusetts talk about their experience in congress. >> it is important for us as a nation to continue to be a beacon to the world and conduct ourselves in a manner that represents the best. when we stoop to uncivil discourse we stoop to pettiness. we have to remember that the entire world looks to us. they do. >> i am deeply concerned by our president on many levels. he has been think very, not helpful to long-term relationships across the globe. i think you can only read about that on the daily basis. allies who question the support of the united states. he suggests that we in the united states can go it alone. i do not think that is the case by any means. we have extra narrate powers in of ourselves but we need

partners around the globe in order to achieve the goals we seek. >> join us for the conversation with senator bob corker and congresswoman niki tsongas saturday at eight eastern -- 8:00 eastern or listen with the free c-span radio app. this weekend, on book tv, saturday, at 4:15 p.m. eastern, bob woodward's interview on his new trump book. >> someone in a key position after the book came out who is in office now called me and said everyone knows what you have in this book is 1000% correct. at 9:00th lay: -- been p.m. eastern, a memoir of the clinton investigation. >> what i am saying in the question -- and the clinton experiences is we heard -- learn

from our history as a free people and impeachment was not the wise way to go. at 9:00 p.m.day eastern, on afterwards, former secretary of state john kerry discusses his book, every day is extra. he is interviewed by congresswoman and president and ceo of the wilson center, jane harman. >> john and i work for -- flying to kuwait on an airplane. we were seated opposite each other by seniority. seniority here works because it brought us together and we had a conversation into the night. and hisabout annapolis father and grandparents, his family and his service,'s time as president, he wanted to learn -- his time as prisoner. we pledged to each other right then that the country was still too divided over the war. we thought we needed to try to find a way to not just make peace with vietnam but home. >> watch this weekend on

c-span2's of tv -- book tv. >> friends and former colleagues of supreme court nominee brett kavanaugh held a press conference to express their support for his confirmation. this is 20 minutes. >> good morning. my name is sarah, and on behalf of the more than 175 women here today and additional 100 women who signed letters in support of brett kavanaugh, thank you for taking time to listen to our personal testimony. -- testimonies. i first met brett when we were both working in the early days of the bush administration. all told, i worked closely with him for five years. no matter the hour or assignment, brett was always the same.