Beto O’Rourke, the liberal Democrat congressman running against US Sen. Ted Cruz, will not participate in a debate scheduled for this Friday in Dallas.
After Cruz challenged O’Rourke to a set of five debates scheduled in different cities across Texas with varying topics last month, O’Rourke tentatively accepted the proposal, offering some tweaks to the schedule of his own, including adding a stop in his hometown of El Paso.
But this week, the congressman stated during an appearance in Austin that “Friday in Dallas is not going to happen.”
The debate was planned to largely focus on economic issues, covering jobs, taxes, federal regulations, and the national economy.
While O’Rourke announced he would not avail himself of the opportunity to go head-to-head with Cruz this Friday, he did schedule an appearance on Ellen DeGeneres’ talk show next week.
The liberal comedian requested his appearance on her program after a video of him stating there was “nothing more American” than kneeling during the anthem went viral.
There is no word yet on whether O’Rourke will participate in the next scheduled debate in McAllen, which will cover immigration, border security, and the Supreme Court.
