U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz will debate U.S. Rep Beto O’Rourke on Friday Sept. 21 in the first of three scheduled debates. Find time, TV Channel, and watch online information below.
Cruz, 47, is the incumbent who is running for his second term in the senate. He is being challenged by O’Rourke, 45, who has been a congressman for three terms.
Ted Cruz-Beto O’Rourke debate: Time
Ted Cruz and Beto O’Rourke meet at 6 p.m. CT on Friday Sept. 21.
Time: 6 p.m. CT
Date: Friday, Sept. 21
Location: McFarlin Auditorium, Southern Methodist University, University Park.
Ted Cruz-Beto O’Rourke: Watch Locally
Viewers in the Corpus Christi area will be able to watch the debate between Ted Cruz and Beto O’Rourke at several times this weekend.
The live broadcast will be carried by CW beginning at 6 p.m.
A tape-delay broadcast will be available on KRIS 6 starting early Saturday after NBC late-night programming is concluded.
And another tape-delay broadcast will be seen at 6 p.m. Saturday on KZTV, immediately after the Texas A&M-Alabama football game.
Ted Cruz-Beto O’Rourke: Where is CW?
The Ted-Cruz-Beto O’Rourke debate will be available on CW. Among the listings in the greater Corpus Christi area include Channel 23 for Spectrum, Channel 14 for DirectTV, Channel 13 for Dish, Channel 1023 on U-Verse, Channel 816 for Grande and Channel 6.2 for Antenna.
Ted Cruz-Beto O’Rourke: Watch Online
The Ted Cruz-Beto O’Rourke debate will be available online by watching online at KRISTV.com.
Ted Cruz-Beto O’Rourke: The Ground Rules
The format will keep Ted Cruz and Beto O’Rourke on their toes. Among the rules are 90-second answers, a 60-second response from the other debater, then a 30-second rebuttal to that response.
Ted Cruz-Beto O’Rourke: The Questioners
Panel members for the Sept. 21 debate will include Dallas Morning News political writer Gromer Jeffers Jr. and political reporter Julie Fine of KXAS-TV.
Ted Cruz-Beto O’Rourke: Analysis
O’Rourke has put a scare into Republican operatives after overtaking Cruz in fundraising and battle him to a virtual dead heat in several recent polls. His style in appearances at town hall meetings where his abilities like on this question on the NFL national anthem has been burnished. But some wonder if his style will translate well on live television also against the relentless incumbent.
Cruz was a champion debater at Princeton University and also has shone as an appellate lawyer after he finished at Harvard Law School. He also has the edge in debating experience after arguing nine cases before the U.S. Supreme Court and 20 presidential debates against formidable foes like President Donald Trump during the 2016 Republican primaries.
Ted Cruz-Beto O’Rourke: The polls
O’Rourke has made headway in recent weeks but Cruz made a recent surge. According to a poll commissioned by Quinnipac College released earlier this week, Cruz has forged a 9-point lead.
A Democrat hasn’t won a Texas statewide race since 1994, when George W. Bush won the race for governor. That election helped usher in the recent era of statewide Republican dominance in Texas.
Ted Cruz-Beto O’Rourke: The schedule
Cruz-O’Rourke debate 1: Friday Sept. 21, University Park, 6 p.m.
Cruz-O’Rourke debate 2: Sunday Sept. 30, University of Houston, TBA.
Cruz-O’Rourke debate 3: Tuesday Oct. 16, San Antonio, live broadcast before a television studio audience.
