*By Carlo Versano*
Texas Democrats find themselves in an odd position two months before a major election: running a competitive statewide race.
Optimism that Rep. Beto O'Rourke could unseat Republican incumbent Ted Cruz in the Senate is palpable in Democratic circles, said Texas Monthly's politics editor Carlos Sanchez. The race is now a "toss up," according to [Real Clear Politics] (https://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2018/senate/tx/texas_senate_cruz_vs_orourke-6310.html).
O'Rourke, who was elected to the U.S. House in 2013, has been surfing a wave of positive national press and an unorthodox, social-media-savvy campaign that found him traveling to all 254 counties of the deep red state and streaming his journey online.
All summer he's been gaining on Cruz who, compared to the charismatic O'Rourke, suffers from a "likability issue," Sanchez said. After all, Cruz's Republican colleague Lindsey Graham once famously [said](http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/313969-graham-to-cruz-i-want-to-apologize-to-ted-for-saying-he-should): "If you killed Ted Cruz on the floor of the Senate, and the trial was in the Senate, nobody would convict you."
Sanchez said that kind of sentiment may work in O'Rourke's favor: "The base for Cruz seems to be crumbling a bit."
But there are still challenges. While O'Rourke has out-raised Cruz by a wide margin, mostly from small-dollar donors, Cruz is better organized and allied with the powerful Koch network of donors. Sanchez said that "formidable" campaign infrastructure could pose a threat to the Democrat.
And the issue of Donald Trump looms large.
The president accepted an invitation to campaign for Cruz after Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick [reportedly](https://www.politico.com/story/2018/09/09/ted-cruz-reelection-trump-813354) pleaded with him to throw his support behind Cruz, a man he incidentally referred to as "Lyin' Ted" on the campaign trail.
Though that may end up working against the incumbent, Sanchez said. O'Rourke, who is popular with young and minority Democrat voters, needs those blocs to turn out on Election Day. A fiery Donald Trump rally weeks before may compel them to do just that.
O'Rourke "is the national Democrat of Texas right now," Sanchez said.
For full interview [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/republicans-go-into-crisis-mode-as-democrat-beto-orourke-closes-in-on-ted-cruz-in-texas-senate-race).
Rumors are flying that Amazon has narrowed down its list of HQ2 contenders. The tech giant is reportedly looking closely at Crystal City, Virginia; Dallas, Texas; and New York City. Softbank CEO Masayoshi Son breaks his silence about the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Plus, former White House communications director Anthony Scaramucci joins Cheddar to talk Trump, miterms, and his new book.
Chris Hurst was a news anchor in Roanoke, Va., in 2015 when his girlfriend, fellow journalist Alison Parker, was shot and killed live on-air. That defining tragedy launched Hurst's career in politics, taking him to the Virginia General Assembly.
For full interview, [click here] (https://cms.cheddar.com/videos/VmlkZW8tMjYwNTY=).
Lime, the popular electric scooter company, is offering its users two free rides on Election Day. Emily Warren, senior director of policy and public affairs at Lime, said the mobility provider wants to reduce the transportation barriers that make it hard to vote.
A progressive, not a moderate, agenda will help Democrats mobilize young voters and win elections, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a candidate for New York's 14th Congressional District, told Cheddar Monday. "There are actually progressive, rising stars all over the country in the least likely places," Ocasio-Cortez said, pointing to congressional candidate Richard Ojeda of West Virginia as one example.
Anthony Scaramucci said Donald Trump's divisive language on immigration is a narrow strategy to turn out his blue-collar base in this week's midterm elections, but whether it will work remains to be seen. "He's tapping on the hot buttons of his base," said the former White House Director of Communications. "We're going to have to see if it makes sense or not." Scaramucci discussed President Trump's campaign strategy leading into the midterm elections with Cheddar on Monday, along with his new book, "Trump, the Blue-Collar President."
These are the headlines you Need 2 Know.
Apple shares plunged after the company reported mixed results in its most recent quarter. Georgia's race for governor is getting heated as midterms are just days away. And Katie Harbath, global politics and government outreach director at Facebook, tells Cheddar how the social media network is cracking down on misinformation ahead of the election.
After months of damaging headlines and privacy mishaps, Facebook may be down, but it's not out ー especially not in the case of the U.S. midterms, according to the company's director of outreach. Katie Harbath, global politics and government outreach director at Facebook spoke with Cheddar's Hope King about fighting fake news from the company's "war room" in an exclusive interview.
Eugene Scott, political reporter for The Washington Post, and Michael Harriot, columnist for The Root, weigh in on Georgia's close race for governor between Brian Kemp (R) and Stacey Abrams (D).
These are the headlines you Need 2 Know.
