Texas midterm elections - as it happened: Ted Cruz wins tight Senate race against Beto O'Rourke
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Your support makes all the difference.Texas voters have re-elected Republican Ted Cruz to the US Senate after a tight battle with Democrat Beto O’Rourke.
The Senate seat for the Lone Star state remains ruby red after the historic 2018 midterms, though analysts said Mr O’Rourke brought a wave of Democratic voters to the ballots and could prove a viable candidate in the 2020 presidential elections.
His candidacy may have proven beneficial for Democrats like Gina Ortiz Jones whose bid to win the House of Representatives seat of Republican Will Hurd in the state’s 23rd district was too close to call.
Mr Cruz was not the only Republican to fight back against Democrats threatening the GOP’s hold on the region, however.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott also won a second term by defeating Democrat Lupe Valdez in a race whose outcome was seldom in doubt.
Mr Cruz congratulated Mr O’Rourke during a celebratory speech on Tuesday night, saying his opponent “poured his heart” into the race.
Meanwhile, Mr O’Rourke said he was “so f****** proud” of his supporters in a viral concession speech that essentially left the door open to his running against Donald Trump in 2020.
The president played a key role in the US Senate race, throwing his support behind Mr Cruz and stumping for the Republican despite the two previously hurling exchanges towards each other in the 2016 presidential election.
To catch up on how the evening progressed follow our live blog below
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Ted Cruz is beginning to surpass Beto O'Rourke's significant early lead as polling information rolls in across the Lone Star state. With the two neck and neck for the last half hour, it appears Texas is in for a long night.
Beyoncé wasn’t the only celebrity to get involved in the elections in the Lone Star state.
Rapper Travis Scott offered tickets to an upcoming music festival to voters who cast ballots in Texas during the 2018 midterm elections.
Along with immigration, health care is one of the main issues causing voters to flock to the polls in Texas on Election Day, folks told The Independent during a recent visit.
Here’s why Texas is the uninsured capital of the United States.
Beto O'Rourke is pulling ahead with two per cent of polling coming in. The top three polling sites reporting are Dallas, Tarrant and Bexar.
With 50 per cent of polling data reported across the state, Beto O'Rourke still holds a significant lead over Republican incumbent Ted Cruz.
Gina Ortiz Jones appears to be pulling ahead of Republican incumbent Will Hurd to represent the state's 23rd District. Gina will become the first out lesbian, first Iraq war veteran and first Filipina from Texas to serve in Congress if elected.
Immigration is also one of the leading issues for Texas voters during the 2018 midterm elections.
Here's The Independent's report from the border in Texas, where US Customs and Border Protection serves as the nation's first - and sometimes last - line of defense.
With 70 per cent of polling data being reported across Texas, Beto O’Rourke holds the lead with 50.7 per cent of support among voters, CNN is reporting.
With polling data rolling in across the Lone Star state, it appears Texas is becoming more blue in the 2018 midterm elections.
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